Iranian state television on Tuesday cut short the broadcast of an interview with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s top negotiator in talks with the United States, drawing criticism from his team. The interview, recorded hours earlier, was abruptly stopped mid-air, sparking a statement from the parliament media center on Wednesday.
Parliament Condemns Broadcast Interruption
“This discussion was delivered to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) more than 2 hours before the broadcast time; but unfortunately, the broadcast of this discussion was stopped in the middle of it,” said the statement. It added that the least the IRIB officials could have done was to coordinate with the parliament’s media center if they decided not to broadcast part of the discussion.
The state broadcaster argued that the interview was cut into two parts and the second section would air on Wednesday night. However, the parliamentary media center noted that the omitted portions included sensitive topics such as UN nuclear watchdog inspections, the country’s frozen assets, and a $300 billion reconstruction credit.
Hard-Liners Criticize US Deal
Many hard-liners, including conservative lawmakers and media personalities, have criticized the deal signed between Tehran and Washington to end the regional conflict. Last month, a state TV presenter called for the closure of Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport to prevent the Iranian negotiation team from traveling to Switzerland for talks with the US delegation.
Critics claim that Iran hastily reopened the Strait of Hormuz—letting oil flow through the strategic waterway—without gaining any tangible benefits from the Memorandum of Understanding with the US.
Ghalibaf Defends Oil Exports
During the state TV interview on Tuesday, Ghalibaf argued that the memorandum enabled Iran to sell its oil as the US removed its own blockade of the Strait. “From the day the blockade was lifted until today, we have exported more than 40 million barrels of oil,” he said, adding that “by contrast, during the previous 50 to nearly 60 days, we were genuinely unable to export even a single barrel of oil.”
The interview controversy highlights ongoing tensions within Iran over the negotiations and the terms of the agreement with the United States.
