Investing.com -- The Trump administration is quietly evaluating Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as a potential partner to lead Iran during a shift toward negotiated diplomacy. According to reporting from Politico, citing administration officials, the 64-year-old parliament speaker is being viewed as a workable figure for the war’s next phase.

While Ghalibaf has previously threatened the U.S. with retaliation, some officials believe he could facilitate an endgame to the current military escalation. “He’s a hot option,” one administration official said, while noting that the White House is still stress-testing multiple candidates.

President Trump has signaled a desire to find a "solid" figure to stabilize the region after U.S. and Israeli operations decimated Tehran’s leadership. This diplomatic outreach coincides with the president's announcement of a five-day pause on military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure to allow for high-level negotiations.

A primary motivator for this strategy is the protection of global oil markets and the prevention of further inflationary spikes. The administration hopes to secure a deal similar to the one involving Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela to ensure favorable energy terms.

“It’s all about installing someone like a Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela that we say, ‘We’re going to keep you there,’” an official told Politico. This approach suggests a preference for a leader who will cooperate with U.S. interests in exchange for political survival.

However, some national security allies remain skeptical that the Iranian leadership will acquiesce to such a transactional arrangement. Critics suggest the president may be overstating diplomatic progress to buy time and stabilize volatile global markets.

Tehran has flatly denied that there are ongoing negotiations, with Ghalibaf calling the president's claims "fake news" intended to manipulate global financial and oil markets.