Iran's chief negotiator accuses Trump of 'theater diplomacy' with Hormuz traffic near standstill

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Dec. 2, 2025.Shadati | Xinhua News Agency | Getty ImagesIran's chief negotiator has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of staging "theater diplomacy," as Washington and Tehran offer conflicting accounts of bilateral engagement aimed at ending the months-long hostilities. "'Massive attack coming … wait, never mind, they want to negotiate.' That's theater diplomacy on loop," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and top negotiator, wrote in a post on X on Thursday in an apparent jibe at Trump.The remarks came days after Trump called off planned strikes and said the outlines of a deal had already been settled with Tehran. Iranian officials have rejected the claim, saying no talks were underway. The conflict is meanwhile broadening across the region, with Gulf energy infrastructure and key shipping chokepoints under renewed threat. Saudi Arabia is bracing for "multiple coordinated attacks" by Iraqi militia factions working with Iran-backed Houthis, a Saudi official told CNN. Intelligence reports from Saudi Arabia and regional governments reportedly indicated that the groups ...