Iran is not Venezuela, President Trump, and this man is no moderate

Co-authored with Behnam Ben Taleblu

Read the full piece in (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/03/31/iran-venezuela-trump-ghalibaf/).

Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow and senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Iran program. Andrew Ghalili is policy director of the National Union for Democracy in Iran.

News of more (https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates/card/meet-the-marines-and-paratroopers-readied-for-iran-duty-KWpmooBatrS51iHRXaFb?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqdFspuZ9wVL_bXyjFJK8-DhsQ8Vaa49g2UoDJKXTaPlNP2yzaHuiGmR&gaa_ts=69c59508&gaa_sig=sco9KZ05PBdwC08Z97DnPUBgQ1ryHbEnPHKf9ZTTJRqmcFmEBezxnt56rYuQgoYjPLqkumIx91HgOUmFonGvhg%3D%3D) and (https://www.kare11.com/article/syndication/associatedpress/pakistans-top-diplomat-says-us-iran-indirect-talks-are-taking-place-as-washington-and-tehran-offer-opposing-proposals/616-08719bfb-779c-41c7-9343-8ede912e505a) notwithstanding, there are signs that the Trump administration is seeking a shortcut out of Iran.

(https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/hes-a-hot-option-white-house-eyes-irans-parliament-speaker-as-potential-u-s-backed-leader-00840730), the White House is reportedly weighing the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as a potential partner and future leader. One administration official, calling Ghalibaf “a hot option,” exposed the administration’s logic: Find someone pragmatic to install at the top, secure favorable energy terms and declare victory. Call it a path of least resistance to “(https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DmRZlme2ysc).”

This idea was not born in a vacuum…

Read the full piece (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/03/31/iran-venezuela-trump-ghalibaf/).