Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf eyed for US talks despite threats

The man put forward by the Trump administration as a possible interlocutor with Iran is also one of the regime’s toughest figures; and Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a longtime Revolutionary Guard commander described by experts as a staunch “yes man” with threats to the United States and deep ties to the system’s inner circle.

This contradiction underscores the fundamental question facing US policymakers: Even if Washington is talking to the “right people” as President Donald Trump claims, can someone like Ghalibaf really pull it off?

Iran expert Beni Sabti from the National Security Studies Institute said, “Ghalibaf does not have an independent line. His power comes from being a ‘yes man’.” He added: “If he’s told to shake hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he’ll do it. If he’s told to escalate, he’ll do it.”. “This isn’t about moderation, it’s about who is calling the shots.”

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Inside the Regime

Galibaf, 64, is a product of Iran’s security structure.

During the Iran-Iraq War, he rose through the ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and eventually became commander of the Revolutionary Guard air force.

“He even completed flight training abroad, which was not unusual at the time, with France reportedly helping out at one stage. Until recently he was still conducting training flights in France,” Sabti said.

He later served as Iran’s national police chief and, along with Qasem Soleimani, oversaw the internal security forces responsible for suppressing protests, including the 1999 student uprising.

After moving into politics, Galibaf tried to run for president many times but was unsuccessful. Instead, he built his career on loyalty to the system, serving as mayor of Tehran for more than a decade before becoming speaker of parliament in 2020.

“Ghalibaf continued to hold senior positions at the national level and is currently the speaker of parliament. He consistently aligned himself with the supreme leader and followed directives rather than determining his own independent positions,” Sabti said. he said.

“His name has also been linked to numerous allegations of corruption, including the misuse of oil revenues and sanctions evasion networks involving his family. His sons are reportedly involved and are under sanctions,” Sabti said, adding: “There have also been public scandals involving family members traveling abroad and making luxury purchases, including widely circulated images of them arriving with numerous high-end Gucci suitcases.”

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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Galibaf watches as lawmakers wearing military uniforms chant slogans supporting the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran, Iran, February 1, 2026. (Hamed Malekpour/Islamic consultative assembly news agency/WANA (West Asian News Agency)/Report via Reuters)

Limited Authority

Ghalibaf’s wartime statements reflect the hardening attitude of the Iranian leadership.

He has rejected ceasefire terms, declaring Iran would continue fighting “until the enemy truly regrets its aggression.”

He also warned that attacks on Iran’s infrastructure would trigger retaliation across the region, including on energy targets.

At the same time, he flatly rejected any negotiations with the United States, calling reports of negotiations “fake news” and accusing Washington of manipulating markets.

In a speech broadcast on Iranian television on January 12, 2026, he warned that US forces would face disastrous consequences if they confront Iran. “Come, so you can see what catastrophe befalls American bases, ships and forces,” he said, adding that American troops would be “burned by the fire of Iran’s defenders.”

In the same statements, the publisher and the translator MEMRI, He called the US president “delusional and arrogant” and framed Iran’s ideology as a growing global movement.

It has increased even more recently. He warned that “the blood of American soldiers is Trump’s personal responsibility” and vowed that Iran would “come to terms with the Americans and Israelis”, adding that “Trump and Netanyahu crossed our red lines and will pay the price”.

He has also threatened retaliation against regional energy infrastructure, signaling a willingness to expand the conflict beyond direct military conflict.

Not Decisive

“He’s considered relatively moderate in the current Iran context, but he’s not the one calling the shots. He’s not the leader himself,” Middle East National Security and Intelligence Expert Danny Citrinowicz told Fox News Digital. he said, adding that Ghalibaf could serve as a conduit to the Iranian leadership, rather than as the ultimate authority.

“If you want to talk to someone in Iran, that’s probably your point of contact,” he said. “But he doesn’t decide anything. Even if he wants to do something, he needs approval from the Revolutionary Guard and religious leaders.”

“Some point to periods during Rouhani’s presidency when he appeared to be aligned with Rouhani and described him as somewhat moderate, but this is misleading,” Sabti said.

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A man lights a cigarette with fire from a burning image of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf as Israelis gather in Iran to support nationwide protests in Holon, Israel, January 14, 2026. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

A System That Makes Deals Difficult

Analysts say the real problem is not Ghalibaf himself but the system within which he operates.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said: “Those who see the rise of someone like Ghalibaf, an IRGC veteran, as a force outside his traditional civilian role, have overlooked that personality, not profession, has been the driving force in Iranian politics for decades. Those who focus on the IRGC background in the Supreme National Security Council may also overlook that the last secretaries (Shamkhani, Larijani and Ahmedyan) all have IRGC backgrounds.”

“Today’s system is more radical and decentralized,” Citrinowicz said. “It’s not just one person. You have multiple actors you have to coordinate, which makes negotiating much more difficult.”

“I’m not saying it’s impossible, because this is still the Middle East, but it will be very difficult to reach an agreement with them, let alone an agreement that reflects the same demands that the United States made before the war. There’s no way they can accept that,” he added.

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A billboard showing Iran’s religious leaders since 1979: (From left) Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) are displayed on a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father. Leader on March 9, 2026. (via AFP/Getty Images)

Citrinowicz said the regime sees itself as superior. “From Iran’s perspective, they are not losing, they are winning. They are using their strategic capabilities and effectively threatening the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point in the global economy. This only reinforces the radicalization taking place within the regime. Under these conditions, they will be the ones making demands of Trump, not the other way around.”

Even if the talks took place, Ghalibaf would not be able to commit Iran without broader approval, he said.