Speaker Ghalibaf Accuses United States of Orchestrating Domestic Collapse Through Sustained Naval Blockade

Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the US naval blockade aims to divide Iran and force a domestic collapse. Read the latest from Tehran.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 1:03 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from AFP and ICANA

Tehran’s Negotiator Warns of Strategic Encirclement

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has issued a stern warning regarding the long-term objectives of the American naval presence in the Persian Gulf. Dressed in full military uniform during a session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Ghalibaf asserted that the current blockade is not merely a military maneuver but a psychological operation. He argued that the United States is attempting to bypass direct military confrontation in favor of a "chokehold" strategy designed to incite civil unrest and weaken the state's institutional integrity from the inside out.

The Rhetoric of Internal Division and Submission

The Speaker specifically addressed recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has frequently characterized the Iranian government as "seriously fractured." Ghalibaf contended that the Trump administration is intentionally categorizing the Iranian political elite into "hardliners" and "moderates" to foster internal mistrust. By publicizing the economic impact of the blockade, Ghalibaf claims Washington hopes to force the Iranian public to view their own government as the primary obstacle to prosperity, thereby creating the "internal discord" necessary to compel a total diplomatic submission.

Leadership Vacuum and the Rise of Ghalibaf

The geopolitical landscape within Tehran has shifted dramatically following a series of devastating joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that targeted the highest levels of the Iranian establishment. With the confirmed killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other senior commanders, speculation regarding the current balance of power has intensified. Ghalibaf, who served as the lead negotiator during the only round of direct talks with the U.S. in early 2026, has filled a critical power vacuum. His dual role as a legislative leader and a military veteran has positioned him as the primary voice of the regime’s remaining apparatus.