Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Thursday accused the United States of engaging in what he described as “theater diplomacy,” criticizing President Donald Trump for repeatedly threatening military action before returning to negotiations.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf wrote: “‘Massive attack coming … wait, never mind, they want to negotiate.’ That’s theater diplomacy on loop.”
He said Washington’s approach of using what he described as bullying, broken promises and misinformation had failed, urging the US to honour its commitments instead of issuing repeated threats.
“We don’t need more theater,” he added.
His remarks came after Trump said he was personally involved in negotiations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and expressed optimism that an agreement could be reached soon.
The latest exchange follows weeks of heightened tensions, during which the United States carried out strikes on what it said were Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military sites, while Iran responded by targeting US military facilities in several Gulf countries, including Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The escalation occurred despite a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June, under which both sides agreed to pursue a broader agreement. Negotiations later stalled over disputes related to security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies.
Last week, Trump warned that the US could strike Iranian energy facilities, bridges and power plants, but later said he had suspended military action after Iran agreed to resume negotiations. US media have also reported that dwindling interceptor missile stockpiles influenced Washington’s decision to delay further strikes.