Iran’s top negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has vowed that Tehran will overcome what he described as a US naval blockade, escalating
rhetoric amid ongoing regional tensions. In a message posted on his Telegram channel and reported by Reuters, Qalibaf said Iran would “turn the naval blockade established by the United States into another defeat for the enemy,” signaling defiance against Washington’s maritime pressure strategy. He also stressed that Iran would pursue both diplomacy and military readiness simultaneously, saying: “We are not going to either just fight or just negotiate; rather, we are going to fight at our own time and negotiate at our own time.” Qalibaf added that Iran’s goal remains “the end of the war and stable security,” while expressing deep mistrust of the opposing side in ongoing tensions involving the United States and its allies. The remarks come amid heightened friction in the Gulf region, where maritime security, shipping routes, and sanctions enforcement have become central points of dispute between Iran and Western powers. Tehran has increasingly framed its foreign policy as a dual-track approach, combining diplomatic engagement with what it describes as defensive resistance against external pressure. The statement underscores Iran’s hardened stance as regional tensions continue to escalate, particularly over naval activity and strategic waterways in the Middle East.
