Iran's Ghalibaf sets peace as priority but attaches conditions for Washington

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament and head of the country's negotiating delegation, has spoken to Al Jazeera about discussions with Washington, the Strait of Hormuz and the potential for further hostilities.

Iran and Oman have reached a shared understanding on the shipping route and traffic separation system in the Strait of Hormuz, Ghalibaf said.

• Peace is our main objective, provided Washington meets our terms; we do not wish for hostilities to persist.

• A prolonged conflict will damage the security and economies of regional nations, he added.

• The US side visited Moscow and asked Putin to contact Tehran to facilitate direct talks between us, according to Ghalibaf.

• If Trump launches another war, he will suffer another defeat, Ghalibaf warned.

• Washington has imposed a blockade that blocks food, trade and health services from reaching Iran, he said.

• We are committed to moving beyond a situation that is neither war nor peace, possibly not through talks but via ongoing deterrence, he stated.

• We will not let America exhaust us, and we will remain resolute.

• One of the points in the memorandum of understanding and among our seven conditions is ending the conflict with Iran and the resistance front, Ghalibaf said.

• If the US or Israel initiates a conflict, we will face them together and retaliate against any assault, he said.

• We have given Washington a clear and unambiguous answer that contains our conditions.

• The US has not yet given an official or detailed reply to our message, Ghalibaf noted.

• To reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart talks, Washington must accept our seven conditions, he said.

• The US has received a direct and unambiguous response from us outlining our demands.

• The decision now rests with the Americans, who must reach a conclusion and announce it, Ghalibaf said.

• There has been no personnel change in the negotiating team, and I retain leadership of the talks, he confirmed.

• A deal with Washington is achievable if it adheres to previous agreements and avoids actions that undermine trust, Ghalibaf said.

• What blocks a deal is our distrust of Washington and its attempts to impose unreasonable demands, he added.

• The Americans misjudged when they attacked us and were disappointed because they accomplished nothing, Ghalibaf said.

Analysis:

The possibility of a deal is still open, but Iran's conditions are unchanged. Ghalibaf stresses peace as a priority while linking the reopening of Hormuz and fresh negotiations to Washington fulfilling Tehran's seven conditions. His remarks on sustained deterrence also indicate that Tehran is ready to endure the standoff if talks fail to bring its terms.

For oil traders, the critical issue is whether these stances lead to an agreement that restores shipping through Hormuz. The headlines reflect a willingness to negotiate, but no confirmed breakthrough has occurred. Ghalibaf states that Washington has yet to deliver an official, detailed response. That reply, and whether it reduces the gap between the sides, is the next development to monitor.

Crude oil advances

From a technical perspective, crude oil buyers are attempting to regain some control following the sharp drop from the November high. During Tuesday's trading, the price initially encountered resistance near a key zone consisting of the 50% midpoint of the rise from the July low at $86.93, the 200-day moving average at $87.35, and the 100-day moving average at $87.41. However, buyers have now moved above that zone, with the price trading around $88.22.

That places the $86.93–$87.41 region in focus as a gauge for buyers and sellers. Staying above it gives buyers a base to work from. The next upside target is the natural resistance level of $90, followed by the broken 38.2% retracement at $91.56. Sellers might lean against that retracement on the first attempt, but a move above it would boost buyers' confidence.

Conversely, a drop back below the moving averages and the 50% midpoint would break the breakout and tilt the bias back toward sellers. The recent low near $84 would then come into play, followed by the 61.8% retracement at $82.30. Buyers have made a push. They now need to hold above the technical cluster to sustain that recovery.