Kathmandu— Iran's top negotiator and Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, criticized the United States on Thursday for what he called “theater diplomacy,” accusing Washington of using bullying, broken promises, and fake news as leverage. His remarks come amid escalating tensions between Iran and the US over the Strait of Hormuz and conflicting claims about ongoing diplomatic engagement.

Ghalibaf's Criticism

In a post on X, Ghalibaf wrote, 'Massive attack coming… wait, never mind, they want to negotiate. That’s theater diplomacy on loop.' He further stated that using bullying, broken promises, and fake news as leverage is a failed strategy and urged the US to acknowledge facts and fulfill commitments.

Iran's Military Preparedness

Earlier in the day, Iran's Acting Defence Minister Brigadier General Majid Ebn-e-Reza asserted that the country’s Armed Forces were fully prepared to counter any external threat. He emphasized that Iran's military strength is rooted in its indigenous defence industry and warned that countries relying on foreign suppliers for military superiority would soon realize that Iran's domestically developed defence technology surpasses regional military hardware.

US-Iran Tensions

The statements follow fresh tensions after US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would be 'hit very hard' if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened 'very soon.' The Strait is one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes for oil and liquefied natural gas exports. Trump claimed significant progress had been made in reopening the strategic waterway, but Iran swiftly rejected these assertions.

(With inputs from ANI)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.