Ghalibaf Says US Will Fail in Economic War as It Did Militarily
Iran’s parliament speaker says Tehran and Baghdad are moving toward a new regional system, while Iran’s foreign policy officials outline diplomatic efforts over regional stability and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday that the United States would suffer defeat in an economic war against Iran just as he said it had in military and political confrontations, as Tehran outlined parallel diplomatic efforts with neighboring states over regional stability and the Strait of Hormuz.
Ghalibaf made the remarks during a meeting with Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, on Tuesday.
Ghalibaf said the region was entering a phase in which a new regional system was taking shape, describing the current period as historic for both Iran and Iraq.
He praised the completion of the US forces’ mission in Iraq, describing the withdrawal as a historic achievement for the Iraqi government and people. He also expressed hope that the withdrawal would be fully implemented on the ground and in Iraqi airspace.
Speaking about the United States, Ghalibaf said Washington would face defeat in the economic war in the same way he said it had been defeated in military and political confrontations with Iran.
During his visit to Baghdad the previous week, Ghalibaf had also said relations between Baghdad and Tehran were moving toward consolidating a “new regional system” independent of external intervention.
Araqchi stresses diplomacy and regional solutions
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran remained committed to achieving regional stability through diplomacy with neighboring countries.
In a post on his official X account on Tuesday, Araqchi said his discussions with delegations from Pakistan and Oman had focused on regional solutions, including presenting a framework for establishing a new route, joint mine clearance and the future management of the Strait of Hormuz.
As part of his diplomatic efforts, Araqchi held a telephone call with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister. The two sides discussed the latest regional developments and stressed the importance of using all diplomatic capabilities and maintaining coordination to prevent further escalation.
Araqchi also spoke by telephone with Asim Munir, commander of Pakistan’s army, discussing the region’s security and political situation and issues of common interest. Both sides stressed the need for continued consultations and joint efforts to consolidate peace and security in the region.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi separately said Tehran had reached an understanding with Oman on establishing a temporary two-way maritime route.
Speaking to Iranian media on Tuesday, Gharibabadi said that following the recent 40-day war, Tehran had shifted its strategic focus toward the Strait of Hormuz, which had become a direct national security issue for Iran.
He said previous US efforts to establish an illegal southern route had violated agreements and contributed to military confrontation, but that Iran’s closure of the strait had ultimately forced Washington to retreat from its positions and accept Iran’s demands.
Gharibabadi said the southern route would be fully closed under the understanding with Oman and that the decision would formally be submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Under the new plan, he said, a temporary route approximately seven miles wide would be established, operating like a two-way highway. Ships entering the Gulf would use Iranian territorial waters, while vessels leaving would use Omani territorial waters, although ships would pass through Iranian waters in both cases.
Gharibabadi said Iran had suffered significant losses over the past 58 years because of the way ships passed through the area. He described the current arrangement as temporary, saying negotiations with Oman would continue over the next 30 to 60 days to establish a permanent route and determine a mechanism for jointly managing the strait.
He warned that the understanding did not mean the Strait of Hormuz would immediately reopen and reiterated that it would remain closed until all of Tehran’s security conditions, procedures and demands were fully implemented.