Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker representing Iran in end-of-war talks with the United States, said there had been some progress in the negotiations but there is still a long way to go before a final agreement.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and others, Ghalibaf said in a speech on Iran's state TV in the early hours of the 19th (local time), "There has been progress in the negotiations, but many differences still remain, and several fundamental issues are unresolved," adding, "We are far from a final agreement."
He argued that U.S. President Donald Trump requested a cease-fire because Iran had the upper hand on the battlefield. He added, "We have not completely destroyed the enemy, and they still have funds and weapons," but said, "Strategically, they are in a defeated position compared with us."
Ghalibaf also sharply criticized the U.S. blockade measures. Calling them "foolish and ignorant actions," he warned, "If the blockade is not lifted, passage through the Strait of Hormuz will, without a doubt, be restricted."
Earlier, after Iran released the "temporary opening" of the Strait of Hormuz on the 17th, about 10 oil tankers passed through the strait, but the next day the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared a re-blockade, saying, "We will not allow passage until the United States lifts the maritime blockade."
The United States and Iran accepted Pakistan's proposed "two-week cease-fire plan" and are seeking an end-of-war arrangement by the deadline of the 21st U.S. Eastern time (the 22nd in Iran local time).