Qalibaf: Iran Will Oversee Strait of Hormuz Under New Post-War Framework
By Staff, Agencies
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament and head of the country’s negotiating team, has stated that the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its previous status and will be administered by the Islamic Republic of Iran in accordance with international law.
Speaking upon his return from four-party talks in Switzerland, Qalibaf said Monday that recent understandings reached between Iran and the United States have significantly altered the strategic situation surrounding the vital waterway.
“Everyone should know that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never return to the way it was before the war,” Qalibaf said in remarks to Iranian media.
“International regulations will be respected, but Iran will administer the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
Qalibaf also emphasized the importance of national unity and support for Iran’s leadership, stating that the country should remain united under the guidance of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump formally signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding in Islamabad on June 18 after months of negotiations mediated by Pakistan and supported by several regional states.
Under the agreement, both sides entered a 60-day negotiation period aimed at reaching a comprehensive final settlement.
According to the memorandum, Iran committed to making arrangements to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman for a 60-day period without imposing transit charges.
Qalibaf rejected efforts to separate Iran’s military achievements from its diplomatic efforts, describing negotiations as a continuation of struggle through political and legal means.
“Our trip to Switzerland was a direct continuation of the battlefield,” he said, arguing that military gains must be reinforced through diplomacy to secure lasting results.
He stated that Iran’s strategy combines military strength with diplomatic engagement, asserting that major concessions, including the lifting of what he described as a US naval blockade, were achieved through negotiations backed by deterrent power.
Qalibaf announced that restrictions related to Iranian oil exports, petrochemicals, banking, insurance and transportation had been lifted during the negotiation period pending a final agreement.
He also said that the release of Iranian funds previously held abroad, including two installments totaling $12 billion, was finalized during the talks in Switzerland.
“Ending the war and lifting the siege was achieved through dialogue, as a method of struggle, and by relying on the power of the field,” Qalibaf said.
He stressed that Iran remains cautious in its dealings with Washington and noted that safeguards were incorporated into the agreement to ensure that US commitments are implemented through concrete actions.
Pointing to what he described as Iran’s negotiating leverage, Qalibaf claimed that President Trump modified earlier public statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz after the agreement was concluded.
“This is the power of the Islamic Republic,” he said. “It is the result of combining hard and soft power.”
Addressing regional developments, Qalibaf also said that attacks against Lebanon had ceased during the Switzerland negotiations and that displaced residents had begun returning to their homes. He pledged continued Iranian support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Describing himself as “a fighter” rather than a diplomat, Qalibaf emphasized that Iran’s military and diplomatic institutions operate in close coordination. He warned that any failure to implement the agreement could prompt both diplomatic and military responses from Tehran.
His remarks come as Iranian officials continue to argue that the strategic realities created by recent developments, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz, represent a lasting shift in the regional balance.
