30.06.2026 23:50
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stated that they are not currently conducting any negotiations with the US, declaring that they will not sit at the table unless all five articles of the memorandum are fully implemented, and that they are ready for war if conditions are not met. In response to Tehran's tough stance, a swift denial came from the US. Vice President JD Vance said that while Tehran publicly rejects the process, behind the scenes, talks between the two countries continue at full speed.
Iranian Parliament and Negotiation Team Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made assessments on the agenda in a television program he attended.
“OIL SANCTIONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED AND WE ARE SELLING OIL 20% MORE EXPENSIVE” Comparing his country's oil selling price to the pre-sanctions period, Ghalibaf said, “Oil sanctions have been lifted and we are selling oil 20% more expensive. Since the day we lifted the naval blockade, we have exported over 40 million barrels of oil. This happened in less than 10-12 days. Yet we had not exported any oil for about fifty-some days.”
Ghalibaf stated that Iran has a total of $24 billion in assets in various countries, and $12 billion of this will be left to the Central Bank's disposal for purchasing needed goods.
“IRAN WILL NOT BACK DOWN FROM ITS RIGHTS IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IN ANY WAY” Also commenting on the tension with the US in the Strait of Hormuz, Ghalibaf continued: “Sometimes they want to disregard Iran's management and regulations in the Strait of Hormuz, and naturally Iran reacts. The sovereignty of the Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and Oman. The transit arrangements in the strait are according to the regulations set by Iran. We are exchanging views with the littoral states of the Persian Gulf. Iran will not back down from its rights in the Strait of Hormuz in any way. This is our territorial waters. We must show the world that security in the Strait of Hormuz is increasing day by day. Even ship insurance premiums should be reduced.”
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf “WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING WITH THE US, WE ARE READY FOR WAR IF THEY DO NOT FULFILL THE CONDITIONS” Ghalibaf emphasized that they are not conducting negotiations with the US and will not start negotiations unless the 5 articles of the memorandum of understanding are implemented. Underlining that they are ready for war if both dialogue and the memorandum are not adhered to, Ghalibaf noted: “We went to Switzerland for the implementation of the 5 articles of the memorandum. If these conditions are not implemented, we will not start negotiations. The Islamabad Memorandum is a document of US defeat. After the memorandum, the Zionist regime launched a heavy attack on Lebanon and tried to occupy some places to cause problems in the agreement. This situation caused us to go to Switzerland, where we discussed the ceasefire. Following this, attacks on Lebanon decreased significantly compared to before. A joint committee will be established between Lebanon, Iran, and the US, and our ambassador will take part in that committee.”
“URANIUM ENRICHMENT IS OUR RIGHT” Ghalibaf also made assessments regarding nuclear issues. Stating that they are currently committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Ghalibaf said, “We are members of the NPT. We have cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), but uranium enrichment is our right. We fulfill our NPT obligations.”
Finally, Ghalibaf stated that they take pride in the fact that their country's missile power is not subject to negotiations.
JD Vance DENIAL CAME FROM THE US: TECHNICAL TALKS CONTINUE Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance described Iran's stance on its contacts with Washington as a "Persian negotiation tactic," saying that despite Tehran continuing the negotiation process toward a peace agreement, it rejects the talks publicly.
Denying Ghalibaf's statements, Vance stated that technical talks between the two sides continue despite Iran's public stance on negotiations. Vance said, “One of the things I find both fascinating and frustrating about the Iranians is this: In public, they say 'No, no, there is no ongoing peace talk,' but technical talks on a peace agreement between the United States and Iran are ongoing.”