Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated Tehran holds “goodwill but no trust” toward the United States as both nations gear up for ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan, setting preconditions like a Lebanon truce and release of frozen assets.
Ghalibaf, leading a delegation with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, arrived Friday and cited past US “war crimes” mid-negotiations as trust-eroding. He affirmed Iran would reciprocate a “real deal” recognizing its rights, amid the fragile two-week US-Iran truce.
Preconditions and Context
Iran demands implementation of agreed steps: Lebanon ceasefire and unfreezing of blocked funds before substantive talks on Strait of Hormuz, nuclear issues, and sanctions. This echoes prior diplomacy where Tehran expressed readiness for agreements if coercion ends.
Strategic Posture
The remarks precede US Vice President JD Vance’s team arrival, with President Trump pushing Hormuz reopening. Ghalibaf’s calibrated tone—cautious yet open—tests Washington’s commitment post recent strikes, as Pakistan mediates.
