Trump Announces Direct Talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Khalibah Amid Intensifying US-Israel Strikes on Tehran

Former President Donald Trump has announced direct talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf amid escalating US-Israel military actions targeting Tehran. This development follows Trump’s characterization of earlier discussions with an unnamed Iranian official as “productive,” hinting at a potential shift in the region’s volatile dynamics. The unexpected diplomatic engagement raises questions about its impact on ongoing tensions and whether it signals a strategic recalibration in US-Iran relations.

Although tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran have escalated due to recent military strikes, former President Donald Trump has announced plans to engage in direct talks with the Iranian Parliament Speaker. This development marks a notable shift in diplomatic efforts amid ongoing regional instability. The announcement came shortly after Trump described a series of conversations with an unidentified Iranian official as “very good” and “productive,” signaling a possible move toward resolving hostilities that had intensified following US-Israel strikes on Tehran beginning late February 2026.

The talks reportedly prompted the shelving of planned US attacks on Iranian power plants, a move that had been threatened as leverage to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had partly closed in retaliation.

Trump’s declaration followed the expiration of a two-day ultimatum demanding the strait’s reopening, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil shipments. The announcement of ongoing negotiations sent immediate ripples through international markets: oil prices declined and stock indices rose, reflecting hopes for de-escalation.

Central to this diplomatic effort is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and a prominent non-clerical figure within Iran’s political landscape. Identified by US sources as Trump’s contact, Ghalibaf occupies a complex position—viewed variably as a potential reformer or hardliner—and is considered by the Trump team as a prospective partner or even a future leader within Iran. His longstanding ties and recognition in Washington make him a strategic interlocutor amid the crisis. The US negotiating team reportedly includes senior figures such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with Vice President JD Vance possibly joining forthcoming discussions. A potential meeting with an Iranian delegation in Pakistan was also indicated.

Despite the US announcement, Iranian officials have categorically denied any direct negotiations with Washington. The Iranian foreign ministry dismissed the claims as “fake news” intended to manipulate energy prices and market sentiments. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf himself labeled the talks as false, emphasizing no official engagement had occurred. Iranian media outlets, including the Mehr news agency, echoed these denials, reinforcing Tehran’s position of rejecting dialogue under current conditions. Reports from allied countries suggested US attempts at indirect contacts but no formal discussions confirmed by Iranian authorities.

The context of these developments is critical. The US-Israel strikes that began on February 28, 2026, targeted Iranian military and political leadership, reportedly killing several top officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was believed injured. Israel has maintained its commitment to continued strikes despite the US diplomatic overture. Trump, meanwhile, shifted from threatening “obliteration” of Iran’s energy infrastructure toward engagement, a strategic pivot interpreted by analysts as a “blink” in the face of regional complexity and economic imperatives.

This shift suggests the Trump administration’s attempt to test the potential for a negotiated resolution centered around Ghalibaf’s role, possibly redefining US-Iran relations without direct involvement of Iran’s supreme leadership. Previous US-Iran contacts had occurred through Omani mediation focusing on nuclear issues, but this approach represents a more direct, albeit contested, diplomatic channel. Trump’s assertion that Iran “no longer poses a threat” to the US underscores the administration’s recalibrated stance, aiming to de-escalate military tensions while managing economic and geopolitical risks linked to the Strait of Hormuz and energy markets.