Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged the US on Sunday to “be careful” in its rhetoric following threats by US President Donald Trump, saying Iran’s armed forces are “ready to respond” to American threats.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf questioned the effectiveness of US pressure on Tehran.
Don't they think to themselves that if their threats had any effect, they wouldn't have reached the point of despair today? We don't count on the threats of the Americans.
“Do they not ask themselves that if their threats had any effect, they would not have reached this state of despair today? We do not rely on American threats,” he wrote.
He added that US officials should be cautious in their statements, warning that “our armed forces are fully prepared to respond in a different way.”
"They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” Ghalibaf said.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump urged Iran to “immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble,” or Washington would launch fresh strikes against Tehran.
“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
According to Fox News, Trump also spoke with Iranians overnight and warned that if they close the Strait of Hormuz, “you won't have a country.”
“You won't even make it back to your f----- country.”
“We may take over the Strait, if we have to,” Trump said.
Collecting tolls from Hormuz
Trump said the United States could take a more direct role in securing the key shipping route, even suggesting Washington could act as what he called a “Guardian Angel” of the strait and impose charges linked to oil transport and take 20 percent of the oil.
“If they don't make a deal, we'll collect tolls,” the US president added.
In the same remarks, he also issued a warning to the Iranian leadership, urging President Masoud Pezeshkian to “better watch his mouth” in his statements, signalling that Washington would maintain leverage if negotiations fail after a 60-day period.
“He better shape up or we’ll take over the rest of the country,” Trump said.
He also argued he would have leverage after the 60-day negotiation period.
“I have a 60-day option and I can do whatever I want after that option,” he said.
The first round of four-party talks involving Iran and the US, with mediation by Qatar and Pakistan, concluded in Switzerland on Sunday, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing a source familiar with the Iranian negotiating team.
