This week, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf traveled to Iraq. His visit comes as Iraq seeks to rein in Iranian-backed militias. Notably, this follows IRGC head Ismail Qaani’s recent visit to Iraq, in which he discussed the militias and the Strait of Hormuz.
As he was visiting the country, Ghalibaf posted a photo of himself in front of a map of the Strait of Hormuz. In the photo, Ghalibaf’s large bald head is positioned to physically block the Strait of Hormuz.
This image was created deliberately. Ghalibaf is one of Iran’s most well-known officials and rose to prominence after other leaders and officials were killed during the war.
Ghalibaf is known for his willingness to travel abroad to promote Iran’s interests. For instance, he piloted a plane into Lebanon during clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in October 2024. At the time, Iran’s Mehr News noted that his flight to Beirut during the conflict was intended to display Iran’s power.
Now, Ghalibaf is doing the same in Iraq.
