Iran's chief negotiator mocks Trump's 'theater diplomacy'

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament and Tehran's chief negotiator in end-of-war talks with the United States, mocked and criticized President Donald Trump for repeatedly changing his position.

Ghalibaf posted on X on Thursday, writing: "'A massive attack is imminent… wait, cancel that. They want to negotiate.'" He called the pattern "theater diplomacy on an infinite loop."

He added that "using threats, broken promises and fake news as leverage is a failed strategy," and called on Washington to face reality and honor its commitments. "We don't need any more shows," he said.

The remarks came amid a recent armed conflict between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, after which Trump abruptly called off plans for a large-scale strike, citing progress in indirect negotiations conducted through intermediary countries.

Iran, however, distanced itself from any direct talks with Washington, saying it would focus solely on negotiations with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.