Tehran: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf has blasted US officials for 'squeezing Iran' with the aim of wresting concessions that he says were 'never part' of a framework agreement signed earlier between Washington and Tehran. 'Americans think squeezing Iran harder will win concessions that were never part of the agreement,' Qalibaf wrote in a Tuesday social-media post.

According to Anadolu Agency, Qalibaf criticized US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, stating they are 'way out of their league.' He further urged them to stop hoping for a miraculous solution to the issues they have created, saying, 'Stop waiting for the clown crew to pull a rabbit out of their hat and clean up the mess you made.'

In mid-June, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding through Pakistani and Qatari mediators, aiming to end hostilities and initiate talks for a negotiated settlement. However, these talks have since stalled due to ongoing disputes over the memorandum's terms and the navigation of the Hormuz Strait, a critical route for global energy exports.