DID Press: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Tehran has sent its final response to the United States, adding that the next steps in negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz now depend on Washington’s decision.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ghalibaf stressed that Iran insists on the fulfilment of seven conditions before resuming negotiations and reopening the strategic waterway. He said the conditions were designed to build trust between the two sides.
Referring to the history of relations between Tehran and Washington, Ghalibaf said more than 80 years of what he described as US injustice against the Iranian people had created deep mistrust in Iran.
He identified what he called excessive US demands and Iran’s lack of trust in Washington as major obstacles to reaching an agreement, adding that Iran’s people and officials would not accept demands that go beyond what they consider reasonable.
Ghalibaf also rejected US officials’ claims of military and political achievements against Iran, saying Washington had failed to achieve its objectives. He described the US naval blockade of Iran during the ceasefire as an act of war against the Iranian people.
On the negotiations, the parliament speaker said the composition of Iran’s negotiating delegation had not changed, dismissing reports to the contrary as part of what he called a US psychological operation. He said a six-member team was handling the negotiations, with himself leading the process.
Ghalibaf reiterated that Tehran had sent a clear response to Washington and that the decision to halt or continue negotiations rested with the United States. However, he said Washington’s acceptance or rejection of Iran’s proposal would not determine Tehran’s position.