The man reportedly being floated by the Trump administration as a possible interlocutor with Iran is also one of the regime’s most hardline figures — Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The longtime Revolutionary Guards commander is widely described by experts as a loyal “yes man,” with a record of threats against the United States and deep ties to the system’s inner circle.
That contradiction underscores the central question facing U.S. policymakers: Even if Washington is speaking to the “right people,” as President Donald Trump has claimed, can someone like Ghalibaf actually deliver?
“Ghalibaf doesn’t have an independent line. His strength is that he is a ‘yes man,’” said Beni Sabti, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies. He added, “If he is told to shake hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he will do it. If he is told to escalate, he will. It is not about moderation, it is about who gives the orders Read From Source/Original…