Ghalibaf Mocks Trump's 'Theater Diplomacy on Loop'
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- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator, accused Trump of "theater diplomacy on loop" in an X post on Thursday, writing: "Massive attack coming…wait, never mind, they want to negotiate."
- Ghalibaf called Washington's pattern of military threats followed by negotiation offers a "failed strategy," urging the US to "acknowledge the facts" and fulfill its commitments.
- Donald Trump cancelled a planned large-scale military strike on Iran on Saturday, claiming Tehran and regional countries requested the call-off as a diplomatic breakthrough neared.
- Trump told reporters Thursday the war would end "pretty soon" and that Iran "can't go much longer," while claiming he is personally involved in the negotiations.
- Iran and Oman have agreed on coordinates for shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran claiming a deal to reopen the waterway is "on the verge of being finalised."
- Iran now asserts sovereignty over parts of the Strait of Hormuz — a reversal from its pre-February 29 status as a free international passage — after the US and Israel attacked Iran and triggered a months-long regional war.
- The strait's closure and attacks on regional energy infrastructure have sent oil prices soaring, according to the article.
Why it matters: Ghalibaf's accusation exposes a credibility gap: Trump claims personal involvement and a "pretty soon" war's end, while Iran's chief negotiator dismisses US overtures as theater and credits Oman — not Washington — as the real negotiating partner. The public spat comes as both sides say a Hormuz reopening is close and oil prices have already soared.
