Parliament speaker stresses diplomacy must safeguard military gains as funeral ceremonies continue
TEHRAN: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that implementing the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States remains “difficult but possible,” while stressing that diplomatic efforts must preserve what he described as gains achieved on the battlefield.
Speaking during a meeting with Mohammed Darwish, head of Hamas’ Leadership Council, on the sidelines of the farewell ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Ghalibaf said diplomacy should resolve military confrontations without compromising strategic achievements.
According to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Ghalibaf stated that negotiations and diplomacy must complement national defence, adding that Iran should remain fully prepared militarily while pursuing political dialogue.
Agreement linked to regional security
Referring to the memorandum with Washington, Ghalibaf said negotiations reached a temporary suspension when Israel launched strikes on Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh. He added that Tehran insisted any agreement should include provisions safeguarding the territorial integrity of regional countries and ending military operations against Iran’s regional allies.
According to Ghalibaf, those provisions were incorporated into the final text of the memorandum. He maintained that the agreement is now being implemented despite significant challenges and described its execution as achievable through continued commitment from all parties.
The memorandum, brokered in Islamabad after weeks of conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, outlines a phased framework aimed at reducing hostilities, restoring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and easing tensions across several regional fronts, including Lebanon.
Funeral ceremonies continue
Meanwhile, funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei entered another stage, with foreign delegations and senior officials continuing to arrive in Tehran to pay their respects.
Public farewell events will continue before the main funeral procession in Tehran, after which the ceremonies will move to Qom. Additional commemorations are scheduled in Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala before the final burial ceremony at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on July 9.
