Iran says ‘missiles, not dialogue’ will secure concessions as Trump weighs deal to extend ceasefire
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took to X and wrote, “We do not trust guarantees and words, only actions are the criterion. No action will be taken before the other side acts.”
Iran on Friday signalled deep scepticism over a reported US-backed proposal aimed at extending the current ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran insisting that it would judge Washington by actions rather than promises amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.
According to a Reuters report, sources familiar with the negotiations said US President Donald Trump is considering an initial agreement with Iran that would extend the existing truce for 60 days and allow unrestricted oil and gas shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The proposal is also expected to create space for negotiators to address more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, Iranian officials indicated that the deal remains far from finalised. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the text of the agreement had undergone changes in recent days and reiterated that no final approval had yet been reached.
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf struck a defiant tone while reacting to the reports. In a statement posted on social media, Ghalibaf said Tehran would not rely on diplomatic assurances from Washington.
“We do not trust guarantees and words, only actions are the criterion. No action will be taken before the other side acts,” Ghalibaf wrote on X in Persian.
According to the The Times of Israel, Ghalibaf also escalated the rhetoric further, stating that the Islamic Republic would “achieve its rights not through dialogue, but with missiles.” He also warned that “the victor in any agreement is the one who plans better for the war on the day after”.
۱-ما امتیازات را نه با گفتگو، بلکه با موشکها میگیریم، در مذاکره فقط آنها را تفهیم میکنیم.
۲- هیچ اعتمادی به تضمینها و حرفها نداریم، فقط رفتارها معیار است. اقدامی پیش از اقدام طرف مقابل انجام نخواهد شد.
۳-پیروز هر توافق، کسی است که از فردای آن بهتر برای جنگ آماده شود.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) May 29, 2026
The reported negotiations come after months of devastating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The war, which began on February 28, has reportedly killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, while triggering sharp disruptions in global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the crisis. Before the conflict, the narrow waterway handled nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Shipping traffic through the strait has slowed dramatically amid security concerns and Iranian restrictions.
Reuters reported that no oil tankers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the previous 24 hours as of Friday afternoon, although some vessels had departed earlier in the week. Iranian state television claimed that 24 vessels had passed through the strait during the same period, adding that no transit would occur without authorisation from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The potential agreement under discussion would reportedly require the United States to ease restrictions on Iranian ports and partially lift sanctions on Iranian oil exports. At the same time, Washington announced fresh sanctions on vessels linked to Iran’s oil trade and imposed additional restrictions on Iranian airlines.
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Iran on Friday signalled deep scepticism over a reported US-backed proposal aimed at extending the current ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran insisting that it would judge Washington by actions rather than promises amid continuing tensions in the Middle East.
According to a Reuters report, sources familiar with the negotiations said US President Donald Trump is considering an initial agreement with Iran that would extend the existing truce for 60 days and allow unrestricted oil and gas shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The proposal is also expected to create space for negotiators to address more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, Iranian officials indicated that the deal remains far from finalised. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the text of the agreement had undergone changes in recent days and reiterated that no final approval had yet been reached.
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf struck a defiant tone while reacting to the reports. In a statement posted on social media, Ghalibaf said Tehran would not rely on diplomatic assurances from Washington.
“We do not trust guarantees and words, only actions are the criterion. No action will be taken before the other side acts,” Ghalibaf wrote on X in Persian.
According to the The Times of Israel, Ghalibaf also escalated the rhetoric further, stating that the Islamic Republic would “achieve its rights not through dialogue, but with missiles.” He also warned that “the victor in any agreement is the one who plans better for the war on the day after”.
۱-ما امتیازات را نه با گفتگو، بلکه با موشکها میگیریم، در مذاکره فقط آنها را تفهیم میکنیم.
۲- هیچ اعتمادی به تضمینها و حرفها نداریم، فقط رفتارها معیار است. اقدامی پیش از اقدام طرف مقابل انجام نخواهد شد.
۳-پیروز هر توافق، کسی است که از فردای آن بهتر برای جنگ آماده شود.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) May 29, 2026
The reported negotiations come after months of devastating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel. The war, which began on February 28, has reportedly killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, while triggering sharp disruptions in global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the crisis. Before the conflict, the narrow waterway handled nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Shipping traffic through the strait has slowed dramatically amid security concerns and Iranian restrictions.
Reuters reported that no oil tankers had crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the previous 24 hours as of Friday afternoon, although some vessels had departed earlier in the week. Iranian state television claimed that 24 vessels had passed through the strait during the same period, adding that no transit would occur without authorisation from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The potential agreement under discussion would reportedly require the United States to ease restrictions on Iranian ports and partially lift sanctions on Iranian oil exports. At the same time, Washington announced fresh sanctions on vessels linked to Iran’s oil trade and imposed additional restrictions on Iranian airlines.
