The Iranian Parliament Speaker: Serious Divisions Within the Trump Administration Over the U.S.-Iran Memorandum and Middle East Issues

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf pointed out that there are clear divisions within the Trump administration regarding the future direction of the U.S.-Iran memorandum and the resolution of Middle East issues.

"Everyone can see it: Rubio is pushing his own agenda, while Vance is pursuing an entirely different path. Last Thursday, Rubio traveled to Bahrain in the Persian Gulf region. What exactly was he up to there? All his actions are aimed directly at our memorandum and at the Gulf states."

He is trying to stir up trouble, inciting these countries to take a confrontational stance against us on the Strait situation. But we stand firm—we have the memorandum in hand, and we will strictly and unwaveringly enforce it.

This Rubio is precisely advancing Washington’s agenda, attempting to forcibly promote the 'Abraham Accords' and push for normalization between Lebanon and the Zionist regime (Israel).

Yet our memorandum fully safeguards Lebanon’s independence. Right now, the country is suffering immense bloodshed—Muslims, Shia, Sunni, Christians, people from all religious and ethnic groups are being killed.

Israel is slaughtering them, committing countless atrocities. Therefore, we must persist in negotiations and resolutely defend this memorandum, which we are proud of."

Ghalibaf’s remarks not only directly exposed the policy rifts among U.S. top officials but also clearly defined Iran’s negotiation red lines.

It is highly unusual for Ghalibaf to openly name U.S. Secretary of State Rubio and Vice President Vance over their policy differences—it is no casual comment. Rubio, representing the traditional hardliners, continues to try through diplomatic means to win over Gulf states and promote the 'Abraham Accords' in an effort to isolate Iran; meanwhile, figures like Vance represent another faction possibly more inclined toward pragmatic implementation. The Iranian leadership has keenly detected this fissure. By stating, “We have the memorandum in hand and will strictly and unwaveringly enforce it,” Iran sends a clear message to the world: Iran will not be swayed by internal noise in the U.S., and it only recognizes binding written agreements.

The core strategic demand in the speech lies in Iran’s strong endorsement of the situation in Lebanon. Ghalibaf explicitly warned that the memorandum “fully safeguards Lebanon’s independence,” and any attempt to bypass the memorandum and unilaterally push for normalization between Lebanon and Israel (such as Rubio’s actions) is unacceptable. This indicates that Iran has now fully tied the Lebanese Hezbollah ceasefire to its own security. If Israel does not cease its military operations in Lebanon, the foundation of the U.S.-Iran memorandum will be undermined.

Combined with recent intense statements from Iranian officials, Ghalibaf’s speech further confirms Iran’s current core strategy: fulfill obligations first, then negotiate. Iran has clearly drawn its red lines—no subsequent talks on the final agreement will begin until the U.S. fully implements five key terms: lifting maritime blockades, unfreezing overseas assets, allowing oil exports, and ensuring the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Ghalibaf’s statement is a direct punch from Iran in response to America’s “talk while delaying” tactics or internal policy fluctuations. Iran’s current strategy is crystal clear: lock in U.S. commitments using the memorandum, constrain Israeli actions through the Lebanon issue, and hold firm on red lines to counter U.S. internal power struggles. The next phase of the Middle East situation hinges entirely on whether the United States can truly overcome its internal divisions and turn the provisions of the memorandum into concrete actions.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869473910978570/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.