Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament and head of its negotiating team with the United States, warned that Iran would continue to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed if its proposed conditions for peace are not met.
On September 20, Ghalibaf stated during the opening speech of a parliamentary session, "Unless our conditions are fulfilled, the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation are recognized, and the United States implements these, there will be no room for returning to negotiations or reopening the Strait of Hormuz."
He emphasized, "Our position on the diplomatic stage is clear, rational, and not subject to compromise," adding that these demands and messages have been firmly communicated to the U.S. through intermediary countries.
Iran's current conditions for peace include: a ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon; the release of frozen overseas funds; the lifting of oil export sanctions; recognition of Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz; and the lifting of maritime blockades.
On the previous day, Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, also confirmed in an interview with Al Jazeera that these conditions were conveyed to the intermediary countries.
Meanwhile, Ghalibaf criticized both hardliners and moderates within Iran. He accused hardliners of rejecting diplomatic approaches and insisting solely on military solutions, stating, "They are recklessly calling for war and dragging the nation into a quagmire of attrition."
He also pointed out that moderates, who advocate only for negotiations with the U.S., are underestimating the country's defensive capabilities and are willing to succumb to unilateral demands from adversaries. Ghalibaf argued, "We must move beyond the binary framework of 'war or negotiation' and pursue both combat and diplomacy simultaneously, securing diplomatic achievements based on military strength."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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