Tehran attempts propaganda offensive despite severe military destruction and mounting international demands over nuclear ambitions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf publicly mocked US President Donald Trump on Wednesday amid growing reports that Washington and Tehran may be nearing a temporary agreement aimed at ending the current conflict and easing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
In a sarcastic social media post, Ghalibaf ridiculed the Trump administration’s recently suspended maritime initiative and media reports surrounding the negotiations.
“Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios,” Ghalibaf wrote, apparently referencing Project Freedom — the US-led mission intended to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz — as well as Axios reports suggesting that the United States and Iran are close to reaching a one-page framework agreement.
The Iranian official’s comments came after President Trump abruptly paused Project Freedom only two days after announcing the operation, citing ongoing diplomatic discussions with Tehran.
Despite the Iranian rhetoric, Trump maintained a highly aggressive posture toward the regime, warning Tehran that refusal to finalize an agreement would trigger massive renewed military strikes.
Writing on Truth Social earlier Wednesday, Trump stated, “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end.”
He added that the US blockade would then permit the Strait of Hormuz to reopen fully for international maritime traffic, including Iranian vessels.
At the same time, Trump issued a direct warning to Tehran.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” the President declared.
Later speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump claimed recent negotiations with Iranian officials had been productive and insisted Tehran’s leadership is eager to secure a deal after suffering devastating military losses.
“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump stated.
The President also described Iran’s military infrastructure as having been severely dismantled during recent operations, claiming that the regime’s navy, air force, missile systems, radar capabilities, and senior leadership had been heavily destroyed.
“They had a Navy with 159 ships, and now every ship is blown to pieces and lying at the bottom of the water,” Trump said while asserting that most of Iran’s military capabilities had been neutralized.
Trump concluded by reiterating that the central objective of any agreement remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. And they won’t. And they’ve agreed to that,” he stressed.
The escalating rhetoric reflects the fragile and highly volatile nature of the ongoing negotiations, as both Washington and Tehran continue balancing diplomacy with threats of renewed large-scale military confrontation.
