A potential US contact for talks with Iran has emerged in the form of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the current speaker of the Iranian parliament. Ghalibaf, who has been seen historically as a hardliner, has expressed willingness for dialogue with the West in the past. He has had a long career in Iranian politics, running for president multiple times and serving as the mayor of Tehran. Ghalibaf’s close ties to Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of Iran, could potentially boost his standing within the Iranian power structure. While some US officials see Ghalibaf as a possible negotiating partner, others have cast doubt on this claim, and it is uncertain what influence Ghalibaf holds in Iran.
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