Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the United States that “the capability and will of Iran’s armed forces, not the desire and will of the Americans, will determine the geography of the battle” if Washington makes another mistake, stressing that his country “will not remain in a state of neither war nor peace.”
Ghalibaf made the remarks in his address before the agenda of Sunday’s public parliamentary session, Tasnim reported. He said: “It does not matter to us at all whether America wants negotiations or war; if they accept our seven logical conditions, which are the result of the Iranian people’s struggle, the path to an agreement is open,” warning that “the smoke of a new war will sting the eyes of many.”
In the video, Ghalibaf appears speaking from the chair’s seat. He devoted the opening of his address to commemorating Major General Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, founder of Iran’s missile program, and several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force. He also congratulated them on what was called National Aerospace Day before turning to messages directed at Washington.
“Missile city” symbolizes changing regional equations
Ghalibaf addressed the unveiling of a new underground “missile city,” describing it as “a valuable achievement completed during the war and under enemy fire.” He said it “goes beyond being a technical and defensive achievement; it is a symbol of changing strategic equations in the region.” The IRGC Aerospace Force unveiled the facility on November 10 in the presence of Major General Ali Abdollahi, chief of the Armed Forces General Staff.
He added that the force had “robbed the Zionist entity of sleep” and given the Iranian people, the peoples of the region and the world, “especially the oppressed Palestinian children, hope and dignity.”
The session was held in the presence of members of the presiding board and several lawmakers in the chamber, while others participated via video link, according to photographs published by the Iranian Parliament News Agency, Icana.
Attack on the U.S. Treasury secretary
Ghalibaf attacked U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying that his “ridiculous statements and unethical rhetoric” revealed “deep weakness” in the face of Iran’s power. He said that anyone who “fled from his home to military shelters out of fear of the shadow of threats” should reflect on “his strategic defeats” instead of “insulting great peoples.” Bessent moved to a military base after Iranian threats, according to U.S. reports.
The remarks came days after an interview in which Ghalibaf said that Tehran had delivered a response through the Qatari mediator setting out its seven conditions, including lifting the blockade and sanctions, releasing frozen funds and ending the war on all fronts. In Washington, The Wall Street Journal quoted U.S. officials as saying that intelligence assessments indicated Iran still possessed between 1,500 and 2,500 missiles despite U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Video: Iranian media. Photos: Iranian Parliament News Agency (Icana)
