Iran's Chief Negotiator: Strait of Hormuz Will Remain Closed If Conditions Are Not Met

▲ Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's chief negotiator with the United States and speaker of the parliament, stated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed unless Iran's conditions for ending the war are fulfilled.

During a plenary session of parliament on the 20th (local time), Ghalibaf said, "Unless our proposed conditions are met, the legitimate rights of the Iranian nation are recognized, and the U.S. fulfills these obligations, there will be no room to return to negotiations or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz."

He emphasized, "Our stance on the diplomatic stage is extremely clear, rational, and not subject to compromise," adding, "We have transparently and firmly conveyed these demands and messages to the opposing side through mediating countries."

Iran continues to maintain its conditions for ending the war, which include a cessation of hostilities across all fronts including Lebanon, the release of frozen funds, the lifting of oil export sanctions, the recognition of Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of the naval blockade.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), stated in an interview with Al Jazeera the previous day that Iran has conveyed conditions through mediators to resume negotiations aimed at ending the war with the U.S., including a ceasefire on all fronts, the unfreezing of Iranian funds, and the lifting of the naval blockade.

Ghalibaf also pointed out, "There is an elite faction that cries out for war yet lacks any tactical vision or mechanism to independently and overwhelmingly end it, failing to calculate the nation's actual capabilities while rejecting all forms of engagement and diplomatic approaches, ultimately driving the country into a swamp of war of attrition and endless conflict."

He further criticized, "Conversely, there is another group that falls into the error of underestimating the nation's defense capabilities, stoking security anxieties, and advocating for the acceptance of and submission to the enemy's unilateral conditions."

This was a reprimand directed at both the faction that completely rejects negotiations and insists only on hardline military measures, and the camp that argues solely for negotiations with the U.S.

Addressing these two contrasting arguments, Ghalibaf said, "Such biased approaches only serve the strategic intentions of the enemy, which seeks to dismantle our unity and solidarity," adding, "The dichotomous framework of 'war or negotiations' does not reflect reality, and fighting and negotiating must proceed in parallel."

He added, "We must fight with rational and overwhelming force, secure a decisive victory on the ground, and at the appropriate time when the enemy is weakened, achieve results through diplomatic means based on a position of strength and rationality, permanently solidifying them."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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