Parliament Speaker Warns US Not to Test Iran’s Resolve
Tehran has shown it doesn’t surrender to threats, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf stressed, hours after US President Donald Trump claimed Washington would impose a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters upon returning from Islamabad, where he led a high‑ranking Iranian delegation for negotiations with the United States, Qalibaf responded to recent remarks by Trump, and said the language of threats does not work with Iran. He added that Iran had demonstrated since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that it would not yield under military, economic or political pressure.
US Central Command said it will begin enforcing a maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday, in accordance with Trump’s demand.Ships not traveling to or from Iranian ports will be able to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM, which added the blockade will “not impede freedom of navigation” for those vessels.The statement from CENTCOM comes after Trump announced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday a step that could drive up the cost of oil as Washington seeks to intensify its leverage over Tehran.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Sunday that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz “will be dealt with harshly and decisively".The IRGC said in a statement the strait is under “smart control and management” and remains open to civilian vessels for “harmless passage”, provided they comply with relevant regulations.“Any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz under any pretext or excuse will be considered a ceasefire violation and will be dealt with harshly and decisively,” the IRGC added.
Addressing Trump directly, Qalibaf stated that Iran would respond in kind to either confrontation or dialogue.“If you go to war, we will fight you, and if you come forward with logic, we will treat you logically. We will not bow to any threat. Test our resolve once again, so that we will teach (you) a greater lesson,” he emphasized.The chief negotiator reiterated that the United States could only find a “way out” by deciding to rebuild trust with Iran, noting Washington “owes a debt” to the Iranian people and must effort to make up for its past wrong actions.
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