Vice Chairman of Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Wednesday that Iran hopes for positive progress in talks with the United States, warning that Iran still holds "new cards," while U.S. President Donald Trump said the two countries are conducting talks by phone, stressing that Iran must completely abandon nuclear weapons.
Borouberdi said on Wednesday that the talks are being conducted under the direct guidance of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and personally overseen by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Borouberdi stressed that Iran hopes the talks achieve successful results.
While the senior Iranian official also made clear that Iran has not yet shown its new cards. He drew a strategic comparison between the Bab al-Manbed Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the two waterways are of equal importance. Boroujerdi said that Yemeni forces could take action in the Bab al-Manbed Strati at an appropriate time, potentially delivering a new blow to the United States.
Boroujerdi also dismissed recent threats from Trump as baseless. He said such threats will have no result other than damaging America's reputation, reaffirming that Iran will never relinquish control over the Strait of Hormuz. He added that Iran's military capabilities, including missiles, tanks and drones, are sufficient to sustain a prolonged conflict if necessary.
Iran's Assembly of Experts, a body empowered to appoint, supervise, and discharge the supreme leader, said that Iran's negotiation team is working in accordance with the supreme leader's instruction, and is making its utmost efforts to pursue diplomatic engagement.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump said in the White House's Oval Office on Wednesday that the United States and Iran have been holding discussions and are now communicating by phone rather than convening long meetings or exchanging documents over extended travel time. He said the format was efficient and allowed rapid responses, though he added he personally prefers face-to-face engagement.
Trump acknowledged that some progress has been made, but the major issue remains whether any Iranian concessions are sufficient to meet U.S. requirement. He said that no agreement is possible unless Iran clearly commits to completely abandoning its nuclear weapons.
Iran has previously transmitted a new proposal for talks to the United States through Pakistan. The plan, as disclosed by media, envisioned a three-phase approach: first, an end to hostilities; second, discussions on navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz; and third, negotiations on Iran's nuclear issue.
Whit House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday that Trump had convened his national security team to review the proposal, while other U.S. officials later revealed that Trump was dissatisfied with the plan, citing concerns that the first two phases did not involve discussions on Iran's nuclear issue.
Iran hopes for positive progress in talks with US, Trump says talks underway via phone
