Iran's Chief Negotiator: A Teen Revolutionary Guard Who Became Parliament Speaker

As the United States and Iran engage in various negotiations, a key figure is Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, the 64-year-old speaker of Iran's parliament and a brigadier general. Ghalibaf joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a teenager and has risen through the ranks to become a significant political and military leader.

Ghalibaf is a close ally and advisor to Iran's current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to whom he has publicly sworn allegiance. His influence is substantial; the previous Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, had appointed him to lead Iran's armed forces, positioning him as a potential successor in a contingency plan.

His extensive career began in political Islam during his youth. After joining the Revolutionary Guard at 18, Ghalibaf rapidly advanced, particularly after the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). He was involved in significant military operations, including the liberation of Khorramshahr in 1982, an event still celebrated annually in Iran.

Following his military service, Ghalibaf transitioned to law enforcement, becoming commander of the police forces around the turn of the millennium. During his tenure, the administration and police forcefully suppressed protests and continued the imprisonment of dissidents. His political ambitions led him to run for president four times, with his 2005 bid placing him fourth in popularity and paving the way for his election as Tehran's mayor the same year. While mayor, he faced accusations of corruption and hypocrisy regarding his family's extensive spending abroad.

In 2020, Ghalibaf was elected speaker of Iran's parliament, partly due to his trusted status with the then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He was also a close friend of Major General Qassem Suleimani, who was assassinated in 2020.