The administration of White House chief Donald Trump is assessing the possibility of cooperation with Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The US is considering him as a potential partner in political negotiations, Politico reported on March 23, citing officials.

"Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a 64-year-old politician who has repeatedly threatened the US and its allies with retaliatory measures, is seen by at least some in the White House as a promising partner capable of leading Iran and negotiating with the Trump administration at the next stage of the war," the report states.

On March 23, Trump announced that US forces would temporarily suspend strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure amid Washington-Tehran negotiations. He also said that the US and Iran had held two days of productive talks on resolving the conflict.

On the same day, Iran's Foreign Ministry firmly denied reports of alleged ongoing negotiations. According to the ministry, peace initiatives are coming only from Middle Eastern countries, while the American leader's statements represent an attempt to "buy time" for the military operation.