Tehran: Iran’s influential parliament speaker issued a stern warning on Monday, stating Tehran possesses “new cards” to unleash if hostilities resume with the United States and Israel, just as a fragile two-week ceasefire — brokered last month amid escalating airstrikes — nears expiration, agencies reported.
In a direct post on X, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared: “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats, and over the past two weeks we have been preparing to show new cards on the battlefield.”
Qalibaf, who also serves as the country’s top negotiator in important foreign policy matters, reiterated Tehran’s firm stance against engaging in talks with the United States under any form of pressure, insisting that meaningful negotiations must proceed free of coercion, without the spectre of military threats.
He also hit out at US President Donald Trump, accusing him of trying to convert the negotiating table into a “table of surrender.”
Tensions have mounted as both sides signal preparedness for conflict. The ceasefire, intended to pave the way for diplomacy, now hangs in the balance with growing uncertainty surrounding talks that President Trump announced would resume in Pakistan — a neutral venue selected for its diplomatic ties to both Washington and Tehran.
The White House affirmed that Vice President JD Vance is poised to travel back to Islamabad, which is gearing up to host a second round of high-stakes discussions. These aim to end the protracted war that has inflamed the Middle East, disrupted key shipping lanes, and sent shockwaves through global energy markets.
