Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that talks with the United States will remain constrained by Tehran’s “red lines”, as uncertainty continues over the next phase of negotiations following a recent interim agreement.
In remarks published by the official IRNA news agency on Friday, Ghalibaf said Iran remained committed to defending national interests through diplomacy but warned that it would respond forcefully if pressured.
“As we have shown in the past path of negotiations, we are steadfast in fulfilling the conditions and red lines set and in achieving the interests of the Iranian nation,” he said.
He added: “If the enemy seeks to be excessive, we have proven that our fingers are on the trigger and we have no hesitation in giving a crushing response to the enemy.”
His comments came after Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding this week to end a regional war that erupted on 28 February following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
The agreement was signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and sets the framework for 60 days of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and possible sanctions relief.
However, the timetable for a final settlement remains unclear. A planned meeting in Switzerland on Friday was postponed, adding to uncertainty over the diplomatic process.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had earlier said he approved the deal despite holding a “different view”. In a statement read on state television, he said direct talks with the United States would not mean “accepting the enemy’s point of view”.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s diplomatic institutions would work to secure national interests and “protect the rights of the noble Iranian nation”. President Masoud Pezeshkian, who signed the deal, also pledged to uphold Iran’s red lines and defend the country’s “dignity, honour and authority”.
Under the agreement, both sides committed to steps aimed at ending the wider Middle East conflict, including in Lebanon. It also included the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days without fees. Iran has also committed not to pursue nuclear weapons, an objective it has consistently denied.
Inside Iran, the deal has faced criticism from conservatives who remain sceptical of US intentions. Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the hardline Kayhan newspaper, said Washington could not be trusted.
“The Americans do not honour any commitments; they have not been loyal to any agreements, and they will not be,” he said in an interview with state television. He added: “the Strait of Hormuz is the way to get compensation.”
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for parliament’s national security commission, also questioned reports of possible inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities by a UN watchdog. Writing on X, he said: “I hope the government denies this, but if this claim is true... the parliament will stand up to lawlessness and disobedience.”
