President Donald Trump offered new insight Monday into who the United States is engaging with inside Iran, identifying a key figure as questions continue to swirl around the future of negotiations between the two sides.
According to Caitlin Doornbos, Trump confirmed that the U.S. is in talks with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a prominent figure within Iran’s political structure. The president indicated that it may take about a week to determine whether Ghalibaf is someone the United States can effectively work with.
“We’ll find out in about a week,” Trump said, signaling cautious optimism while leaving room for doubt about the outcome.
The revelation follows days of speculation after Trump previously announced that “very good and productive conversations” were underway with Iranian counterparts, without naming who exactly was involved. At the time, the president described his negotiating partner only as “a top person,” adding to the uncertainty surrounding the talks.
Pressed by reporters last week, Trump suggested that the individuals now engaging with the U.S. are part of a new leadership structure emerging in Iran after what he described as the elimination of prior leadership during the conflict. He declined to confirm whether the country’s supreme leader or his family were involved, noting instead that the figures currently communicating with Washington appear to be those exercising real influence.
“They seem to be running it,” Trump said, pointing to developments on the ground that he argued aligned with statements made by these individuals.
Reports linking Ghalibaf to the negotiations surfaced soon after, but the Iranian official publicly rejected the claim. In a post on social media, Ghalibaf denied that any talks had taken place with the United States, accusing outside sources of spreading false information and insisting that Iranian officials remain unified behind their leadership and committed to holding adversaries accountable.
Despite that denial, Trump has continued to suggest that some level of communication is ongoing. Speaking further with Doornbos, he emphasized that the administration is actively evaluating whether the individuals now in contact are capable of delivering meaningful change or agreements.
“There has been total regime change because the regimes of the past are gone and we’re dealing with a whole new set of people,” Trump said, adding that those encountered so far have appeared “much more reasonable.”
At the same time, the president’s remarks reflect the uncertainty that still defines the situation. While discussions may be taking place behind the scenes, public denials and conflicting narratives highlight how fragile and opaque the process remains.
Trump also hinted at potential responses to recent Iranian attacks on energy facilities in Israel and Kuwait, telling Doornbos, “You’ll see shortly,” without providing specifics.
The evolving situation underscores a broader reality: even as military action continues to shape events, the search for a diplomatic path forward remains complicated and unclear. Identifying partners on the other side—let alone determining whether they can be trusted or have real authority—can be as challenging as the conflict itself.
For now, the administration appears to be testing the possibility that new leadership dynamics inside Iran could open the door to de-escalation. But as competing claims and denials persist, the outcome of those efforts remains uncertain, a reminder that in times of conflict, clarity is often in short supply and resolution rarely comes quickly.
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