Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that Iran cannot remain in a state of "neither war nor peace" with the United States and that the ball is now in Washington’s court, in an interview with Al Jazeera reported by Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV, Middle East Monitor, This Is Beirut and South Korea’s SBS.
Ghalibaf said Tehran had sent Washington a response setting out its conditions and had not yet received an official reply, according to Press TV, Middle East Monitor and investingLive. Middle East Monitor and SBS reported that the message was conveyed through Qatar.
‘We are not warmongers’
"We are not warmongers," Ghalibaf said, adding that Iran did not want the war to continue, according to Press TV and SBS. SBS and This Is Beirut reported that he described the current situation as one of "no war, no peace" and said Iran would rely on what he called sustained deterrence if negotiations failed.
He warned that Iran would respond to any new US or Israeli attack, Press TV and Middle East Monitor reported. "If Trump decides to go to war again, he will face another defeat," he said, according to This Is Beirut and investingLive.
Ghalibaf said Iran’s lack of trust in Washington was the main obstacle to an agreement, according to Press TV, Middle East Monitor and This Is Beirut. He also rejected reports that Iran’s negotiating team had been changed, saying he still leads a six-member team, the same outlets and SBS reported.
Seven conditions and Hormuz
According to This Is Beirut, investingLive and SBS, Ghalibaf said the United States must meet seven Iranian conditions before the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and talks resume. Press TV, Middle East Monitor and SBS reported that the demands include lifting the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and easing sanctions.
He said Iran had reached an understanding with Oman on shipping arrangements in the strait, including its traffic separation scheme, SBS and investingLive reported. Middle East Monitor and This Is Beirut quoted him as saying the strait would not return to its pre-war status.
Background
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February, Middle East Monitor and Anadolu Agency (AA, as published by Yeni Şafak) reported.
On Tuesday, Ghalibaf, who is also Iran’s special representative for China affairs, published an article calling for the 25-year Iran-China cooperation agreement to be turned into concrete projects, according to Iran International and AA.
Sources
- Ghalibaf: Ball in US court, Iran determined to end state of ‘no war, no peace’ (Press TV)
- Iran says it sent clear response to US, awaits Washington’s decision (Middle East Monitor)
- Iranian Parliament Speaker and Lead Negotiator Speaks on the State of Negotiations (This Is Beirut)
- Iran’s Chief Negotiator: ‘Ball Is in U.S. Court… Must Accept Our Demands to Open Strait of Hormuz’ (SBS News)
- Iran’s Ghalibaf: Peace is our priority if Washington accepts our conditions (investingLive)
- China key to ending Iran’s ‘neither war nor peace’ standoff: Qalibaf (Yeni Şafak / AA)
- Iranian parliament speaker urges stronger China ties (Iran International)
Photo: بهادر های زاده / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
