Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared on Saturday, April 18, 2026, that Iran has emerged as the "victor on the battlefield" in its recent conflict with the United States.

In a televised address, Ghalibaf asserted that Tehran only agreed to a temporary ceasefire because its primary demands were met, claiming that Washington failed to achieve its strategic objectives.

He emphasized that Iran maintains firm control over maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. As the current two-week ceasefire is set to expire this Wednesday, international mediation efforts led by countries like Pakistan continue, following inconclusive high-level talks between Ghalibaf and U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad earlier this month.