Qalibaf Says Tehran Must Overcome Unjust Sanctions as US Ramps Up Economic Pressure

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf said ​on Friday that Iran must plan to overcome "unjust ‌sanctions", a day after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what he described as the toughest sanctions ever imposed ​on Iran. Bessent said on Thursday the measures ​would be detailed on Monday, suggesting they ⁠could lessen the need for further major military​operations.

Qalibaf, one of Iran's most influential political figures and ​Tehran's top negotiator in talks with the United States, said economic development and security were closely linked. He accused the United ​States and Israel of waging economic and "cognitive" warfare ​after concluding they could not prevail in a direct military ‌confrontation ⁠with Iran and Iraq. "If you look at the resources and raw materials of Muslim countries, you will realize that our enemies come to plunder them," ​Qalibaf told Iranian ​and Iraqi ⁠business representatives in Baghdad, according to his Telegram channel. "Therefore, we must make plans ​to deal with the unjust sanctions ​so ⁠that we can overcome them." He also called for stronger economic ties between Baghdad and Tehran and said the ⁠two ​countries could use their national ​currencies in trade to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar. - Reuters