Iran's Chief Negotiator: "Some Progress in Negotiations with the U.S.... Still Far from a Final Agreement"

Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, Speaker of Parliament

Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, Speaker of Parliament, representing Iran in the peace negotiations with the United States, stated that while there has been some progress in the negotiations so far, a final agreement is still a long way off.

According to foreign media outlets such as AFP and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Speaker Ghalibaf said in a speech broadcast on Iranian state TV in the early hours of the 19th (local time), "We are far from a final agreement."

He emphasized that "while there has been progress in the negotiations, many disagreements still exist and several fundamental issues remain," stressing that the differences between the two sides have not yet been resolved.

Regarding the background of the ceasefire, Speaker Ghalibaf claimed that because Iran held the upper hand on the battlefield, U.S. President Donald Trump requested the ceasefire.

He asserted, "We have not completely destroyed the enemy, and they still possess funds and weapons. However, strategically, they are defeated compared to us."

Furthermore, regarding the escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Speaker Ghalibaf strongly criticized the U.S. blockade measures, stating that Iran controls the passage of all vessels through the strait.

He described the U.S. decision to impose a blockade as "foolish and ignorant" and warned, "If the blockade is not lifted, passage through the Strait of Hormuz will undoubtedly be restricted."

He also added that a message was conveyed through Pakistan's military leadership, which is mediating negotiations between Iran and the U.S., stating that "the enemy should not take measures such as a naval blockade, which violates the ceasefire agreement."

A billboard related to the Strait of Hormuz in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Ahead of the second face-to-face peace negotiations between the United States and Iran, military tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz are escalating again.

After Iran announced the 'temporary opening' of the Strait of Hormuz on the 17th, more than ten oil tankers passed through the strait. However, the situation changed rapidly the next day when Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared a re-blockade, stating, "We will not allow passage until the United States lifts its naval blockade."

Since then, reports of vessel attacks have continued in the vicinity of the strait, raising concerns about maritime safety.

The United States and Iran have accepted Pakistan's proposed 'two-week ceasefire plan,' setting a deadline of the 21st (U.S. Eastern Time, 22nd local time in Iran), and are seeking ways to end the war.