IRAN-US PEACE DEAL REMAINS OUT OF REACH AS GHALIBAF SAYS WASHINGTON HOLDS KEY TO PREVENTING ANOTHER WAR
November 3, 2026
TEHRAN, November 3, 2026: Iran and the United States remain far from reaching an agreement to end their ongoing conflict, despite intensified diplomatic efforts involving regional mediators. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said that responsibility for preventing another escalation now rests with Washington, while warning that Tehran remains prepared for military confrontation.
Ghalibaf, who is also leading Iran's negotiating team in talks with the United States, said Tehran had delivered what he described as a strong and rational response to Washington. Speaking during a televised address to parliament, he declared that the ball was now in America's court to prevent another war.
He warned that Iran's armed forces remained ready for battle and that any further strategic miscalculation by the United States could open a new battlefield. Ghalibaf also said that Iran would not submit to military threats or pressure.
His remarks came as diplomatic negotiations continued through regional intermediaries, particularly Qatar. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Qatari mediators had travelled to Tehran to discuss a draft agreement that had been under negotiation for several days. Qatar has said that both Washington and Tehran remain committed to mediation and are reviewing proposals aimed at preventing renewed hostilities.
However, Tehran has maintained that its conditions must be addressed before any comprehensive agreement can be reached. The Iranian official indicated that reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz would depend on Washington meeting Iran's demands, while nuclear negotiations could begin only after those conditions were fulfilled. Tehran has also rejected what it considers excessive American demands.
The diplomatic efforts have unfolded against the backdrop of fresh military tensions. The United States carried out what it described as defensive strikes against Iranian targets on Qeshm Island, with an American official saying the operation targeted surface-to-air missile systems considered a threat to US assets. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, meanwhile, claimed to have downed an American MQ-9 drone and two other drones near the Strait of Hormuz.
The developments have complicated efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating again. The war, which began with US and Israeli military action against Iran in February, has heightened instability across the Middle East and raised concerns over the security of critical international shipping routes.
US President Donald Trump has also expressed uncertainty about whether Washington would resume military strikes after the American midterm elections, while suggesting that an agreement with Tehran could still be possible. His comments have added to the uncertainty surrounding the next phase of the conflict.
Alongside the US-Iran negotiations, Iran has continued diplomatic engagement with regional countries. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Saudi Arabia were ongoing, with Tehran seeking regional security arrangements that would not depend on foreign military involvement.
With Qatar continuing its mediation efforts and military activity persisting around the Strait of Hormuz, the prospects of a diplomatic breakthrough remain uncertain. Ghalibaf's latest statement reflects Tehran's position that preventing renewed war now depends on Washington's next decisions, even as both sides maintain their military readiness.
