As
the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz continues, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has blamed officials in the United States administration for offering what he called “junk advice” to President Donald Trump. In a post on X, Ghalibaf pointed to surging crude oil prices, which have climbed to around $120 per barrel, and accused figures like Scott Bessent of promoting the blockade theory and driving up prices."3 days in, no well exploded. We could extend to 30 and livestream the well here. That was the kind of junk advice the US admin gets from people like Bessent who also push the blockade theory and cranked oil up to $120+. Next stop:140. The issue isn't the theory, it's the mindset," his post on X read.
Blockade Over Diplomacy As Talks Falter
The remarks follow the breakdown of a fresh Iranian proposal conveyed via mediators, including Pakistan. Tehran’s plan reportedly focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and delaying negotiations on its nuclear program, a sequencing Washington has rejected. Trump told aides the proposal was not made in “good faith” and failed to address core US demands, particularly on halting nuclear enrichment. His administration has insisted that any meaningful agreement must tackle nuclear issues upfront, a position that continues to widen the gap between the two sides.“I am not surprised that he hasn’t taken the deal because it doesn’t address the nuclear issue at all,” Eric Brewer, a former US intelligence analyst on Iran, said, underscoring scepticism within policy circles about Tehran’s approach.Trump, meanwhile, has framed the blockade as a pressure tactic already yielding results. In a public statement, he claimed Iran was entering a “state of collapse” and seeking relief through negotiations — a signal that Washington believes its economic strategy is working.
(With agency inputs)
/images/ppid_a911dc6a-image-177751602444134876.webp)
