Qalibaf Says Iran Halted Negotiations After Israeli Attack on Beirut

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says Tehran halted negotiations following Israel’s latest attack on Beirut’s Dahiyeh area and warned that Iran would immediately strike back. Speaking at a gathering of cultural elites on Saturday, Qalibaf said he ordered negotiations to be stopped and declared that Iran would strike Israel that night if the regime responded, warning that any retaliation could trigger attacks across the region.

Qalibaf said the move resulted in the blockade being lifted that same night. He also referred to negotiations concerning the Strait of Hormuz, saying an understanding had been reached under which the strategic waterway would be reopened for 30 days. According to the Iranian parliament speaker, the arrangement later came under pressure after US President Donald Trump announced on social media that the blockade and the Strait of Hormuz would be opened together that night.

Qalibaf said he warned that Iran would launch an attack if what he described as the false claim regarding the Strait of Hormuz was not corrected. He claimed Trump subsequently amended his statement, describing the episode as an example of “negotiating as a form of fighting.” The remarks underline Tehran’s insistence that military pressure and diplomatic negotiations remain closely linked in addressing regional security and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.