Iran hardliner behind US deal warns Tehran won’t honor agreement if Trump fails to deliver

Iran’s hardline parliament speaker and cardinal negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would not grant its commitments nether a recently signed memorandum pinch nan U.S. if Washington fails to uphold its broadside of nan deal, according to nan media limb of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

"If nan United States does not grant its commitments, location is nary measurement Iran will grant its ain commitments," Ghalibaf said, according to nan outlet.

Ghalibaf’s informing was echoed Thursday by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commandant Esmail Qaani, who threatened nan U.S. successful remarks translated by MEMRI TV, saying, "Americans should cognize their spot and debar confronting nan Muslims." 

Qaani added that "Trump is trembling" and warned that nan U.S. "should fearfulness not only Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, but galore different locations arsenic well."

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The warnings came aft President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Wednesday digitally signed a transcript of nan memorandum aimed astatine ending nan warfare and resuming nan travel of postulation done nan Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s hardline parliament speaker and cardinal negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would not grant its commitments nether a recently signed memorandum pinch nan U.S. if Washington fails to uphold its broadside of nan deal.  (Majid Asgaripour/WANA)

The memorandum gives Iran awesome economical alleviation while leaving immoderate of nan astir difficult atomic questions for a last statement to beryllium negotiated passim nan adjacent 60 days. Under nan 14-point scheme publication by a elder U.S. official, Washington agreed to statesman lifting its naval blockade, activity pinch location partners connected a $300 cardinal reconstruction and improvement scheme for Iran, and terminate U.S., U.N. and different sanctions connected an agreed schedule arsenic portion of a last deal. 

The memorandum besides says each licenses, waivers and permissions needed for related financial transactions would beryllium granted by nan United States.

In return, Iran reaffirmed that it "shall not procure aliases create atomic weapons," and nan 2 sides agreed to resoluteness nan destiny of Iran’s stockpiled enriched worldly nether a early mechanism, pinch nan minimum method being on-site down-blending nether International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. 

The statement defers galore of nan hardest questions — including really to upwind down Iran’s atomic programme — until nan 60-day speech play for a last deal.

But nan Iranian fig astatine nan halfway of the woody is not a diplomat known for moderation. 

Ghalibaf, a erstwhile Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commandant and longtime authorities insider, has threatened American forces, vowed Trump would "pay nan price" and built his profession done loyalty to Iran’s information establishment.

The caller informing underscored what experts opportunity is nan cardinal consequence of nan agreement: Washington whitethorn beryllium entering a woody pinch officials who tin enforce Iran’s commitments, but who person shown small motion of changing nan regime’s semipermanent posture toward nan U.S., Israel aliases nan region. 

Ghalibaf, 64, is simply a merchandise of Iran’s information establishment. He roseate done nan ranks of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during nan Iran-Iraq War, yet becoming commandant of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps aerial force. 

He later served arsenic Iran’s nationalist constabulary chief, overseeing soul information forces responsible for suppressing protests, including nan 1999 student uprising, alongside Qassem Soleimani.

After transitioning into politics, Ghalibaf attempted to tally for president aggregate times but failed. He alternatively built his profession done loyalty to nan system, serving arsenic Tehran’s politician for much than a decade earlier becoming speaker of parliament successful 2020.

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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf looks connected arsenic parliament members wearing subject uniforms chant successful support of nan IRGC successful Tehran, Iran, connected Feb. 1, 2026. (Hamed Malekpour/Islamic consultative assembly news agency/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters)

"Ghalibaf doesn’t person an independent line. His spot is that he is simply a ‘yes man,’" Beni Sabti, an Iran master astatine nan Institute for National Security Studies, antecedently told Fox News Digital. "If he is told to shingle hands pinch Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, he will do it. If he is told to escalate, he will. It is not astir moderation, it is astir who gives nan orders."

"His sanction has besides been linked to aggregate corruption allegations, including misuse of lipid revenues and sanctions evasion networks involving his family. His sons person reportedly been progressive and are nether sanctions," Sabti said, adding, "There person besides been nationalist scandals involving family members walking overseas and making luxury purchases, including wide circulated images of them arriving pinch galore high-end Gucci suitcases."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a elder chap astatine nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said nan image of Ghalibaf astatine a signing ceremonial pinch a elder U.S. charismatic would beryllium a propaganda triumph for nan regime.

"There was a clip erstwhile nan Islamic Republic would person been terrified to beryllium seen signing specified a thing," Ben Taleblu told Fox News Digital. "Post-war, this is simply a motion of nan regime’s opportunism, and nary 1 identifies that opportunism amended than personification for illustration Ghalibaf, who comes from nan IRGC, who is simply a corrupt leader and is simply a wheeler and dealer."

But Taleblu warned that Washington should not confuse Ghalibaf’s opportunism pinch moderation. 

"The mirage is nan story of Iranian subject moderation and nan story that, pinch time, this authorities will merge and put speech each nan things that person kept it connected nan sidelines for truthful long," he said. "Transforming Iran via a woody — that is simply a immense lift."

Ghalibaf’s wartime statements bespeak nan hardline posture wrong Iran’s leadership. In remarks aired connected Iranian tv connected Jan. 12 and translated by MEMRI, he warned that U.S. forces would look catastrophic consequences if they confronted Iran.

"Come, truthful you tin spot what catastrophe befalls American bases, ships and forces," he said, adding that American troops would beryllium "burned by nan occurrence of Iran’s defenders."

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A man lights a cigaret pinch occurrence from a burning image of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arsenic Israelis rally successful support of nationwide protests successful Iran successful Holon, Israel, connected Jan. 14, 2026. (Ammar Awad/Reuters)

More recently, he warned that "the humor of American soldiers is nan individual work of Trump," and vowed Iran would "settle accounts pinch nan Americans and Israelis," adding that "Trump and Netanyahu crossed our reddish lines and will salary nan price."

John Hannah, a elder chap astatine nan Jewish Institute for National Security of America and a erstwhile nationalist information advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, said Ghalibaf’s expected domiciled reflects nan reality of who holds powerfulness wrong Iran. 

"If you’re going to motion an statement pinch Iran, those are nan forces successful complaint and calling nan shots, presumably pinch nan support of nan new Supreme Leader," Hannah told Fox News Digital. "If nan U.S. harbors dream that Iran will ever instrumentality immoderate of their obligations nether nan MOU, these are nan group — odious arsenic they are — tin of making it happen."

But Hannah said nan cardinal mobility is whether Iran’s activity sees compliance arsenic useful, aliases whether nan statement is simply a tactical pause.

"The large mobility is whether they spot it successful their liking to do so, aliases are they only buying time, rebuilding their power and preparing for nan adjacent information of conflict," he said.

Ben Taleblu was moreover much blunt, informing that moreover a seemingly favorable statement would not alteration nan quality of nan regime.

"Even if you’ve sewage nan cleanable deal, pinch this benignant of regime, pinch this benignant of mentality, they will escalate," he said. "I thought we would person learned by now what nan authorities did aft nan JCPOA. It built a immense rocket arsenal. It virtually built an empire of panic proxies that took Israel years of blood, effort and money to dismantle, backed by American support."

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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks during a property convention successful Tehran, Iran, Nov. 27, 2024. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)

"If we prosecute successful pay-to-play pinch these guys," he added, "I’m sorry to sound nan siren doorbell for illustration this — but thing tells maine this is bad either way."