Tehran: Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized the Islamic Republic’s enhanced military strength, asserting that Iranian forces eliminated roughly 180 drones and hit a US F-35 stealth fighter.
Al Jazeera, quoting Iran’s Mizan News Agency, covered Ghalibaf’s statements during an update to officials on ongoing indirect talks with the United States, as reported by The Economic Times.
Ghalibaf portrayed the clash with the sophisticated jet as evidence of strategic foresight and advanced skills. “Hitting the F-35 is not a one-off event; it is an operation across various dimensions of technical and design capabilities,” he declared, according to Mizan News Agency, the media wing of Iran’s judiciary.
He framed the episode as a demonstration of Tehran’s defense innovations. “The missile that exploded near the F-35 made the enemy realise what capabilities we possess and in what direction we are heading,” Ghalibaf remarked.
F-35 Emergency Landing
The remarks build on disclosures from US military sources last month, who verified that an F-35 involved in missions over Iran executed an emergency landing at a nearby airbase.
CNN, citing from two unnamed officials, indicated the jet landed after likely taking Iranian fire.
Truce and Negotiation Stance
Ghalibaf connected the defense feats to negotiations, disclosing areas of agreement with Washington but persistent “major differences” on key points.
According to Al Jazeera, he attributed the pivot to talks from Western coercion after Tehran stood firm. “The enemy has not achieved its goals through issuing warnings and setting deadlines, and therefore, has begun sending messages through intermediaries,” he explained, describing an adversarial deadlock.
Ghalibaf characterized the recent halt in fighting differently for each party. Al Jazeera quoted him saying Iran’s consent was tactical to meet its objectives, while Trump supported the ceasefire because “we were the victors on the battlefield.”
He brushed off US ambitions to reshape Iran’s governance or arsenal. “Trump did not achieve his goal of changing the regime and destroying our offensive and missile capabilities, and Iran is not Venezuela,” Al Jazeera quoted Ghalibaf as saying.
