Iran delivers ‘firm and rational’ response to US, says ball in America’s court

TEHRAN — Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that Tehran has delivered a “firm and rational” response to Washington, stressing that the US must now decide whether to prevent another war.“The countries of the region should know that, just as the Islamic Republic of Iran stands ready for battle with its finger on the trigger, it has also given the American side a powerful and rational response,” he said in a televised speech. “The ball is now in America’s court to prevent war.”Ghalibaf, who is also leading Iran’s negotiating team in talks with the US, said Tehran remained prepared for both diplomacy and military confrontation.He stressed that Iran’s armed forces remained at the highest level of defensive readiness.“If Washington makes another strategic mistake, it should know that this time it will face a new battlefield and will find itself even more desperate to seek a way out,” he warned.Ghalibaf also accused the US of pursuing a longstanding policy aimed at dominating Iran, saying Washington had previously relied on compliant governments but now employed military, economic and psychological warfare.He said Iran would not surrender to military threats, warning that any miscalculation by Washington would trigger an unpredictable response.Ghalibaf added that Iran’s military response to any renewed attack would not be limited by geographical boundaries.The remarks come amid ongoing indirect diplomatic contacts between Tehran and Washington following the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28.On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran continued exchanging messages with Washington through mediators, adding that Iran’s revised seven-stage diplomatic proposal could be fully implemented within two days.Baghaei said progress toward restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz depended on Washington ending its naval blockade and addressing Iranian demands, including sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets.