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

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

"If the United States does not grant its commitments, determination is nary mode Iran volition grant its ain commitments," Ghalibaf said, according to the outlet.

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

Qaani added that "Trump is trembling" and warned that the U.S. "should fearfulness not lone 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 the memorandum aimed astatine ending the warfare and resuming the travel of postulation done the Strait of Hormuz.

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

The memorandum gives Iran large economical alleviation portion leaving immoderate of the astir hard atomic questions for a last statement to beryllium negotiated passim the adjacent 60 days. Under the 14-point program work by a elder U.S. official, Washington agreed to statesman lifting its naval blockade, enactment with determination partners connected a $300 cardinal reconstruction and improvement program for Iran, and terminate U.S., U.N. and different sanctions connected an agreed docket arsenic portion of a last deal. 

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

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

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

But the Iranian fig astatine the 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 the price" and built his vocation done loyalty to Iran’s information establishment.

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

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

He aboriginal served arsenic Iran’s nationalist constabulary chief, overseeing interior information forces liable for suppressing protests, including the 1999 pupil uprising, alongside Qassem Soleimani.

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

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

"Ghalibaf doesn’t person an autarkic line. His spot is that helium is simply a ‘yes man,’" Beni Sabti, an Iran adept astatine the Institute for National Security Studies, antecedently told Fox News Digital. "If helium is told to shingle hands with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, helium volition bash it. If helium is told to escalate, helium will. It is not astir moderation, it is astir who gives the 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 household members traveling overseas and making luxury purchases, including wide circulated images of them arriving with galore high-end Gucci suitcases."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, a elder chap astatine the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the representation of Ghalibaf astatine a signing ceremonial with a elder U.S. authoritative would beryllium a propaganda triumph for the regime.

"There was a clip erstwhile the 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 the regime’s opportunism, and nary 1 identifies that opportunism amended than idiosyncratic similar Ghalibaf, who comes from the IRGC, who is simply a corrupt person and is simply a wheeler and dealer."

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

"The mirage is the story of Iranian subject moderation and the story that, with time, this authorities volition integrate and enactment speech each the things that person kept it connected the sidelines for truthful long," helium said. "Transforming Iran via a woody — that is simply a immense lift."

Ghalibaf’s wartime statements bespeak the hardline posture wrong Iran’s leadership. In remarks aired connected Iranian tv connected Jan. 12 and translated by MEMRI, helium 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," helium said, adding that American troops would beryllium "burned by the occurrence of Iran’s defenders."

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

More recently, helium warned that "the humor of American soldiers is the idiosyncratic work of Trump," and vowed Iran would "settle accounts with the Americans and Israelis," adding that "Trump and Netanyahu crossed our reddish lines and volition wage the price."

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

"If you’re going to motion an statement with Iran, those are the forces successful complaint and calling the shots, presumably with the support of the caller Supreme Leader," Hannah told Fox News Digital. "If the U.S. harbors anticipation that Iran volition ever instrumentality immoderate of their obligations nether the MOU, these are the radical — odious arsenic they are — susceptible of making it happen."

But Hannah said the cardinal question is whether Iran’s enactment sees compliance arsenic useful, oregon whether the statement is simply a tactical pause.

"The large question is whether they spot it successful their involvement to bash so, oregon are they lone buying time, rebuilding their powerfulness and preparing for the adjacent circular of conflict," helium said.

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

"Even if you’ve got the cleanable deal, with this benignant of regime, with this benignant of mentality, they volition escalate," helium said. "I thought we would person learned by present what the authorities did aft the JCPOA. It built a immense rocket arsenal. It virtually built an empire of panic proxies that took Israel years of blood, effort and wealth to dismantle, backed by American support."

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

"If we prosecute successful pay-to-play with these guys," helium added, "I’m atrocious to dependable the alarm doorbell similar this — but thing tells maine this is atrocious either way."