Media: US sees Iran's parliamentary speaker as potential leader

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf is being considered by the administration of US President Donald Trump as a possible negotiating partner and potential leader of Iran, Report informs via Al-Arabia.

Washington views Ghalibaf as someone who could lead Iran and engage with the US in the next phase of the military standoff.

Officials stressed that the White House has not yet settled on a single candidate. The administration plans to "stress-test" several potential figures to determine who is truly ready to make a deal.

"He is one of the top options, but we need to evaluate them all; there's no rush," a US official told Politico.

Earlier Monday, Trump postponed threats to strike Iran's energy infrastructure, citing productive contacts with Iranian officials. The president said discussions were underway with a "high-ranking official" who is not the Supreme Leader. Media reports speculate that this official is Ghalibaf, though the speaker denied on social media that any negotiations are taking place.