Iran's Parliament Speaker has declared that the Strait of Hormuz will never return to the way it operated before the war, signalling Tehran's intention to take firm control of one of the world's most strategically vital shipping lanes.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made the remarks on Monday in an interview with Iranian state broadcaster Press TV, shortly after arriving back from Switzerland, where he had taken part in the first round of technical talks with the United States under a 14-point memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
"Everyone should know that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never go back to the way it was before the war," Ghalibaf said, adding that while international regulations would be respected, the waterway would henceforth be run on Iran's terms. "Iran will administer the Strait of Hormuz," he stated plainly.
The Speaker struck a confident tone about Tehran's standing in the Switzerland negotiations, claiming that Iran had wielded real influence at the table. As one example, he alleged that during talks, Iran managed to pressure Washington into taking down a social media post by President Donald Trump, one that had threatened Iran over its support for groups in the region, in what was widely understood as a reference to Hezbollah in Lebanon, within the space of an hour. Ghalibaf described this as proof of Iran's diplomatic weight.
On Lebanon, he said the Switzerland talks had been directly connected to regional conflicts and suggested that Tehran's willingness to engage had helped avert further bloodshed.
"Had we not gone to Switzerland for talks with the US, more blood would have been shed among Muslims and Shias in Lebanon at any moment," he said, adding that discussions had covered Lebanon's territorial integrity and ceasefire arrangements in the wider region.
Despite engaging in talks with Washington, Ghalibaf was unsparing in his assessment of American trustworthiness. "We have never trusted the Americans; we don't trust them now, and it is only reasonable to remain distrustful in the future," he said.
He also confirmed that the negotiations had yielded some tangible gains for Iran, including the release of frozen Iranian funds and a relaxation of oil sanctions.
The talks in Switzerland formed part of a broader framework aimed at ending hostilities between the US and Iran across West Asia, with both sides agreeing to form a High-Level Committee and chart a course towards a final agreement within 60 days.
Ghalibaf closed his remarks on a domestic note, calling for unity behind Iran's Supreme Leader. "We must remain united under the leadership of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei and recognise that his word and directives are final," he said.
Source: Zee News
--Agencies
