US media: Trump administration evaluates possibility of supporting Iranian parliament speaker to power

On March 24, the Trump administration was secretly assessing the possibility of Iranian Parliament Speaker Karibaf as a potential partner or even a future leader of Iran, marking Trump's shift from military pressure to a negotiated strategy to end the war. The 64-year-old Galibaf has repeatedly threatened retaliation against the United States and its allies, but according to two administration officials, at least some within the White House see him as a viable partner to lead Iran in the next phase of the war and negotiate with the Trump administration. "He's a good choice," one administration official said, but emphasized that no decision had been made. "He is one of the highest-ranking candidates. But we must test them and not rush them." Calibaf denied on Monday that there were any negotiations with the United States, but administration officials dismissed his comments as a domestic political gesture. "We are in the testing phase, trying to figure out who can get top, who wants to get top, and who is trying to get top," the official said. "When people rise, we test them quickly, and if they are too radical, we get rid of them."（Politico）