Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, born on September twenty-third, nineteen sixty-one, is a prominent Iranian politician and former military officer. He has been serving as the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran since two thousand twenty, representing the principlist faction. Ghalibaf's political career includes a tenure as a member of the Expediency Discernment Council from two thousand seventeen to two thousand twenty and as the mayor of Tehran from two thousand five to two thousand seventeen.

Before entering politics, Ghalibaf had a distinguished military career, beginning during the Iran–Iraq War in nineteen eighty. He rose through the ranks to become the chief commander of the Imam Reza Brigade in nineteen eighty-two and later commanded the Nasr Division from nineteen eighty-three to nineteen eighty-four. His leadership extended to the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from nineteen ninety-seven to two thousand, and he served as the chief of Police Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran from two thousand to two thousand five.

In addition to his military and political roles, Ghalibaf is a certified commercial pilot, qualified to operate certain Airbus aircraft. His career has not been without controversy; during his time as mayor, he faced allegations of corruption related to property sales in northern Tehran and was criticized for prioritizing development in affluent areas over the needs of poorer districts.

Ghalibaf is known for his repeated candidacies in presidential elections, having run unsuccessfully four times. He participated in the two thousand five election, finishing fourth, and in the two thousand thirteen election, where he placed second. He withdrew from the two thousand seventeen race in favor of Ebrahim Raisi and was a candidate in the two thousand twenty-four election, finishing third. His political influence was solidified when he was elected Speaker of Parliament following the conservative Principlists' majority win in the two thousand twenty legislative elections.

Today, Ghalibaf and his family are reported to own multiple luxury apartments in Istanbul. His recent statements during the two thousand twenty-five to two thousand twenty-six Iranian protests, where he called for severe actions against protestors, have drawn significant attention. He has been characterized by some as having a reputation for sycophancy and corruption, reflecting the complexities of his public persona.