According to information published by Politico, some officials from the Trump administration are considering Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqir Qalibaf, as a potential leader of the country.
Sources report that a certain group of American officials views Qalibaf as a potential partner for negotiations with the U.S. and someone ready to take on leadership in Iran.
However, as clarified by the interlocutors, Washington does not intend to commit to a specific individual. The U.S. administration is looking for an Iranian politician who will be willing to strike a deal.
“He is indeed an interesting candidate. One of the most influential… But we need to be cautious and not rush,” one of the sources noted.
According to the Financial Times, Pakistan plays a central role as a mediator between Iran and the U.S.
Sunday was the day when the Chief of the Pakistani Army, Asim Munir, had a conversation with Donald Trump. Additionally, high-ranking officials from Pakistan are actively conducting "behind-the-scenes negotiations" between Tehran and representatives of Trump, including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
According to Axios, the U.S. is considering the possibility of occupying the Iranian island of Khark, which is strategically important for oil exports, in order to exert pressure on Tehran and ensure the openness of the Strait of Hormuz for all vessels.
On Friday (March 27), thousands of American Marines are expected to arrive in the Middle East, coinciding with the expiration of Trump's ultimatum regarding the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Wall Street Journal.
President Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz will soon be opened if an agreement can be reached with Iran during negotiations.
According to him, the strait “will be under joint control, possibly under the control of me and the ayatollah.”
However, the issue of closing the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved due to the uncertainty of the U.S. position, as reported by Al Jazeera, citing a senior Iranian official.
He stated that Washington “still refuses to accept two key conditions from Tehran — the payment of reparations and public acknowledgment of aggression against Iran.” An Iranian official added that Tehran and Washington “exchanged messages through Egypt and Turkey to reduce tensions.”
American and Israeli security experts believe that control over the Strait of Hormuz and key energy facilities will be a decisive factor in the conflict with Iran, WP reports.
Restoring the operation of the strait has become a priority task, unlike the overthrow of the regime in the Islamic Republic and the destruction of the nuclear program, which previously seemed more achievable. Reducing Iranian influence in the strait would allow Trump to declare victory and end the escalating global energy crisis, sources note.
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