Eurasia Press & News
In a recent parliamentary session, Iranian lawmakers donned military uniforms and vocally condemned the US and Israel, reflecting Iran’s defiance amid external pressures and domestic protests.
In a dramatic parliamentary session broadcast live on state television, Iranian lawmakers wearing military and Revolutionary Guard uniforms shouted ‘Death to America!’ and ‘Death to Israel!’ in a show of defiance against external pressure and domestic unrest, state media confirmed. The chants came as Iran responded to recent actions by the United States and allies in the wake of ongoing mass protests and violent crackdowns.
During the session, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf announced a reclassification of all European militaries as “terrorist groups”, a move that mirrors Iran’s earlier antagonistic stance toward US and Western involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.
Qalibaf made the announcement as he and others in parliament wore Guard uniforms in support of the force. The Guard, which also controls Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal and has vast economic interests in Iran, answers only to Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“By seeking to strike at the (Guard), which itself has been the greatest barrier to the spread of terrorism to Europe, Europeans have in fact shot themselves in the foot and, once again through blind obedience to the Americans, decided against the interests of their own people,” Qalibaf said.
Is Iran Willing To Talk?
The chants and robust rhetoric in Tehran occurred against a backdrop of mixed diplomatic signals between Tehran and Washington. A high-ranking Iranian official, Ali Larijani, said progress is being made toward launching negotiations with the United States, even as tensions simmer over protests and regional security.
Meanwhile, according to a report by AP, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi flatly denied that Tehran has formally requested negotiations with the United States, contradicting recent claims by US President Donald Trump that Iran is seeking talks. Tehran insists negotiations are only possible if the US halts what it calls “military threats and coercion.”
On the other hand, the Islamic Republic also planned a live fire military drill for Sunday and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes.
