Iran speaker says US 'entered quagmire' due to war miscalculations

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf said on Sunday that Washington has "entered a quagmire" due to its own strategic miscalculations regarding the ongoing war, stating that the United States must take the necessary steps to extricate itself from the conflict.

'Americans entered a quagmire'

Speaking during a parliamentary session in Tehran, Qalibaf told lawmakers that the burden of de-escalation rests solely with Washington. "The Americans entered a quagmire due to their own miscalculations, and it is up to them to take the necessary steps to extricate themselves," he said, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

He emphasized that Washington's current predicament stems from strategic errors rather than external factors, noting that the Islamic Republic maintains a firm stance on its sovereignty.

Rejection of 'Pahlavi era' submission

Qalibaf rejected the notion that external pressure could compel Iranian submission, referencing the country's historical trajectory since the 1979 revolution. "Americans think that with a few levers of media pressure or military threats, they can make this great nation surrender to them, unaware that today's Iran is not the Iran of Pahlavi's period of humiliation," he said.

The speaker emphasized that contemporary Iran would not tolerate foreign diktats concerning national sovereignty. He added that the Islamic Republic would never permit any external power to dictate terms regarding the honor of the Iranian people, noting that such resistance defines the post-revolutionary era.

Strait of Hormuz deadlock

His remarks came as tensions in the Middle East remain elevated following the outbreak of the US-Israel war against Iran in late February. Despite a ceasefire agreement and a memorandum outlining a final peace deal, the conflict remains unresolved due to ongoing disputes over navigation rights in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway serves as a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments, and its closure has disrupted international energy markets since hostilities began over two months ago. Washington and Tehran have yet to agree on terms for reopening the passage, prolonging the regional standoff into a third month.