Donald Trump has announced that preliminary talks between the United States and Iran have commenced. The announcement, made through an all-caps post on Truth Social, generated widespread attention but provided very few specific details regarding the negotiations.
Subsequent reports revealed that the White House is currently negotiating Iran’s future. Trump has described the individual involved in these talks as “the most respected as the leader,” despite this figure not being the nation’s Supreme Leader.
According to Israeli officials, the actual powerbroker behind these negotiations is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Ghalibaf is described as a hardline insider possessing deep roots within the Iranian security apparatus.
However, Ghalibaf has strongly denied the reports of ongoing negotiations with the United States. He dismissed the claims as “fake news” and accused Washington of attempting to manipulate global financial and oil markets.
Furthermore, Ghalibaf stated that the negotiation claims were an attempt to escape a “quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.” He emphasized that Iran’s demands go beyond simply ending the recent strikes.
According to Ghalibaf, Iran is explicitly demanding the “complete and remorseful punishment of the aggressors.”
Meanwhile, Trump has escalated growing rumors regarding the status of Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new figurehead. Trump added fuel to speculation that Khamenei might be dead.
Addressing the rumors about Khamenei, Trump stated, “No-one has heard from him, every once in a while we see a statement made but we don’t know if he’s living.”
Amidst these developments, Trump has partially withdrawn from plans to strike Iran’s energy network. He attributed this shift to having had “very good and productive conversations.”
Following these discussions, Trump has hinted that an agreement between the parties could potentially land within a matter of days.