Iran's parliament speaker says Tehran ready for war if agreements fail

WASHINGTON, United States — TEHRAN — Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Kalibaf said Tehran is continuing dialogue with the United States while remaining prepared for war if existing agreements are not implemented. In remarks to the press, Kalibaf accused some parties of failing to comply with Iranian arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and said Tehran would respond accordingly. He described a naval blockade as an act of war and said it had been lifted under the agreement, adding that Iran is pursuing dialogue to ensure implementation of Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding. Kalibaf said Washington had given commitments to end the war in Lebanon and to establish Lebanese state sovereignty over its territory, and that Tehran is working to ensure those commitments are firmly carried out. He added that talks are ongoing to secure the immediate implementation, or at least the direct launch, of five conditions that need to be fulfilled. Separately, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said no high-level meeting between the United States and Iran is currently planned, though U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held consultations with mediators in Doha. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran requested a meeting in the Qatari capital and that the talks would take place on Wednesday. A source close to the negotiations said technical teams from the United States and Iran will meet in Doha in the coming days to discuss mechanisms for implementing the memorandum of understanding.