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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Iran’s chief negotiator says US is seeking to ‘start a new war’
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Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Prime Minister Office via AP)
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the United States is seeking to restart the war and still hopes the Islamic Republic will surrender.
“The enemy’s movements, both overt and clandestine, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war,” Ghalibaf says in an audio message carried by Iranian media.
“Close monitoring of the situation in the United States reinforces the possibility that they still hope for the surrender of the Iranian nation,” he adds.
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