Iran Dismisses 'Peace Talks' as Military Focuses on Readiness Amid US Aggression
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's Parliament, stated Saturday that the nation's armed forces maintain full readiness, directly contradicting the optimistic framing of ongoing discussions with the United States. Speaking to state-owned Press TV, Ghalibaf emphasized that negotiations do not diminish Iran's defense preparedness, asserting that the populace stands united with its
military. This declaration cuts through the narrative propagated by outlets like The Hill, which presents the talks as genuine 'peace negotiations,' downplaying the enduring geopolitical tensions and Washington's consistent military posturing. Mainstream Western media frequently frames any engagement between the US and Iran as evidence of a softening stance or movement towards de-escalation, often
using phrases like 'peace talks' or 'diplomatic breakthroughs.' This selectively omits the historical context of US military interventions and escalations that necessitate Iran's defensive postures. The Hill, for instance, focuses on the veneer of 'negotiations' without addressing the sustained economic strangulation and direct military threats Iran faces daily. The US engagement with Iran, often
presented as efforts towards peace, has coincided with the intensification of sanctions over the past 45 years and military exercises in the Persian Gulf involving US Carrier Strike Groups. This approach recalls Washington's strategy in 1988, when amidst claims of de-escalation, the USS Vincennes shot down Iran Air Flight 655, killing all 290 civilians on board, including 66 children. The