Iran’s lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has labeled the United States as “desperate” in light of President Donald Trump’s recent comments about possibly taking control of the Hormuz Strait. Ghalibaf emphasized that Iranians do not take U.S. threats seriously, following Trump’s warning that the U.S. might “take over” the crucial shipping route if an agreement is not reached.
In a post on platform X on Sunday night, Ghalibaf questioned, “Do they ever consider that if their threats were effective, they wouldn’t have reached this level of desperation today?” He asserted that the Iranian military is prepared to respond if necessary.
“We do not take American threats seriously at all,” Ghalibaf added. “They would do well to choose their words carefully. Our armed forces are ready to respond in a different way. No matter how much they talk, we are the ones who act,” he continued.
Trump’s Statements on Hormuz Strait
Trump addressed the potential for U.S. control over the Hormuz Strait, a vital route for global energy supplies, stating that if Washington and Tehran fail to negotiate, the U.S. could take action. “We could take over the strait if we have to,” Trump remarked during a 20-minute phone call with Fox News. He also mentioned that if no agreement is reached, the U.S. would impose tariffs.
The president reiterated that the U.S. could act as the “guardian angel” of the strait and might claim 20% of the oil passing through this route.
On Saturday, Iranian state media reported that the Iranian military threatened to close the strait due to alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon, as well as the U.S. not fulfilling the first clause of a provisional agreement.
Trump warned, “You will close it, and you will no longer have a country. You won’t even be able to return to your damned country,” addressing the Iranian delegation that had traveled to Switzerland to meet with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
