Washington, 24 March (H.S.):

The Trump administration is discreetly considering Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as a possible negotiating partner and even a future leader as it pivots from military escalation toward diplomacy in the ongoing war.

Senior White House officials described Ghalibaf, 64, as a hot option and pragmatic insider who could steer Iran through the conflict's next phase, according to a Politico report published Monday that cited two administration sources.

We're in the testing phase of really trying to figure out who can rise, who wants to rise, one official told Politico, emphasizing that multiple figures are under evaluation without any firm commitments.

Ghalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guards commander and presidential candidate, dismissed U.S. overtures on Monday as fake news aimed at manipulating markets, though officials brushed off his remarks as domestic posturing.

Analysts like Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group portrayed him as ambitious yet tethered to Iran's Islamist establishment, warning he is unlikely to yield major concessions given constraints from the military elite.

This comes as President Trump hinted at progress in Middle East talks, suspending strikes and claiming broad agreement with Iranian counterparts, though direct meetings with Ghalibaf remain unconfirmed.

Mediators are reportedly eyeing a summit in Islamabad involving U.S. envoys like Jared Kushner, signaling a high-stakes bid to reshape Tehran's leadership amid economic turmoil from a $2 trillion metals market wipeout.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar