Topic: Mohammad Ghalibaf

Following the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and advisor Ali Larijani in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has emerged as a primary figure in the Iranian regime. A former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Mayor of Tehran, Ghalibaf is reportedly viewed by some in the Trump administration as a potential future partner. Despite his public anti-U.S. rhetoric, reports suggest he has maintained back-channel contact with U.S. officials during the war.

President Donald Trump has urged U.S. allies to take responsibility for policing the Strait of Hormuz following an Iranian blockade that caused global oil prices to surge. Trump threatened to target Iranian civilian infrastructure, including power plants and water systems, if the waterway is not reopened. Additionally, the administration is monitoring Russian oil shipments to Cuba, with Trump suggesting the island nation is "gone" regarding U.S. influence.