Iranian officials sharply criticized Donald Trump’s threats on Sunday, with parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying, “If they were useful, they would not have reached the state of helplessness they are in.” Arab reports said Tehran viewed Trump’s remarks on the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of a memorandum of understanding.
At the same time, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said exports had resumed through southern ports and imports were again moving through the country’s maritime crossings. Iranian reports also claimed that 25 million barrels of oil had been shipped through sea routes since Monday, despite the naval blockade.
Iran’s Fars agency said the first round of talks in Burgenschock, Switzerland, had ended, while Iranian television said the discussions did not focus on the nuclear issue at all. Instead, they centered on implementing Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding, with Lebanon at the top of the agenda.
President Masoud Pezeshkian responded to Trump by saying, “The other side has changed its positions: in the past it demanded negotiations on our missiles, and today it recognizes our right to possess them.” He said the shift reflected the fighting by Iran’s army and Revolutionary Guards and national unity, and added that the supreme leader had allowed the government to continue on its current path. Iranian reports said the talks with the United States were paused after 80 minutes for internal consultations, and that a second round is expected soon.
