Iran says ready for both battle and talks

TEHRAN, STRAIT OF HORMUZ, QATAR, WASHINGTON, 4 OCTOBER 2026 —

Iran’s parliament speaker vows to fight or negotiate as Tehran defies US pressure over Hormuz standoff

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared Sunday that Tehran remains “unafraid and unintimidated” by US actions and is prepared to engage in both military confrontation and diplomacy to defend its interests. His remarks came as Iran insists on seven conditions—including the lifting of economic sanctions and an end to naval blockades—before reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy transit route.

Ghalibaf’s defiant stance underscores Iran’s refusal to back down despite Washington’s diplomatic overtures. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, he stated that Iran would “meet them on the battlefield with all our might” while also leveraging diplomacy to assert its military superiority and uphold its people’s rights.

The speaker revealed that the US had submitted proposals through mediators following Tehran’s seven-day roadmap to restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed after a US-Israel military strike on February 28.

The seven demands, formally presented to the US via Qatar as a mediator last month, include an immediate ceasefire across all fronts, the unfreezing of Iran’s frozen assets, and the end of naval blockades on Iranian ports. Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz—disrupting global energy supplies—followed retaliatory drone and missile strikes against US and Israeli targets in the Middle East.

The current standoff persists despite a June framework agreement between Washington and Tehran, which aimed to restore navigation rights and address Iran’s nuclear program.

The latest exchange signals a hardening of positions as both sides remain locked in a high-stakes confrontation, with Iran’s economic and military leverage tied to its ability to control one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for oil shipments. The next phase hinges on whether mediators can bridge the gap between Tehran’s demands and US willingness to negotiate, with no immediate signs of compromise from either side.

Related: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf