Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf accused the United States on Thursday of threatening attack before returning to negotiations, calling it 'failed theatrical diplomacy' and demanding that Washington fulfill its commitments, according to a statement.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf escalated his rhetorical campaign against the United States Thursday evening, issuing a statement that accused Washington of "failed theatrical diplomacy" and demanded that the U.S. fulfill its commitments under the recent memorandum of understanding. The statement, published minutes ago, adds a direct demand for compliance to Qalibaf's earlier dismissive reactions to President Donald Trump's threats of a "massive attack."
The latest broadside follows a flurry of statements from Qalibaf earlier Thursday evening, as reported by The Zioneer. At 21:32 Jerusalem time, Qalibaf first mocked Trump's threat of a "big attack" with sarcastic remarks, then called the U.S. approach "theatrical diplomacy," and finally warned that a "big attack is coming" before again noting that Washington wants negotiations. The sequence, published within minutes, underscores Tehran's coordinated messaging: publicly dismissing U.S. pressure while simultaneously maintaining a diplomatic channel.
As The Zioneer has reported, Qalibaf serves as Iran's chief nuclear negotiator and has previously scolded U.S. Vice President JD Vance during talks in Switzerland, insisting that Tehran will not negotiate under threats. He has also demanded implementation of specific articles of the MoU, including those related to Lebanon and maritime security, and has signaled that Iran will not return to pre-war conditions in the Strait of Hormuz.
It remains unclear whether the U.S. will respond to Qalibaf's latest demand or adjust its negotiating posture. The gap between Tehran's interpretation of the MoU as a set of binding U.S. commitments and Washington's view of it as a framework for stabilization persists.
8 developments
- StrongIranian Parliament Speaker Qalibaf: US claims of seeking peace contradict its military buildup
- StrongIranian parliament speaker says diplomacy and military action are complementary, not contradictory
- DevelopingIranian Speaker Ghalibaf: Diplomacy achieved more than military action could
- StrongIranian parliament speaker Ghalibaf says Iran never sought war but is ready to fight, advocates diplomacy
Source and signal
- Open-source intake