Who is the US dealing with in Iran?

Following three weeks of the intense Israeli-U.S. war against Iran, President Donald Trump has hinted at secret negotiations with a highly respected “top person” within the Iranian leadership.
While Trump has kept the individual’s identity confidential to ensure their safety, geopolitical analysts have narrowed the search to a few key survivors of the recent decapitation strikes that killed Ali Khamenei and Ali Larijani.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and a former Revolutionary Guards commander, has emerged as the most likely candidate for these high-stakes discussions.
Despite Ghalibaf’s public denials on social media, where he labeled reports of negotiations as “fake news” intended to manipulate markets, his extensive background in both military and municipal governance makes him the most viable de-facto wartime leader remaining in Tehran.