Iran's military command rejects Trump talks claims — 'Don't call your failure an agreement'

Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters — the primary military command authority overseeing Iran's operations in the conflict — issued a statement via Fars news agency dismissing Trump's claims of progress in negotiations. The statement: 'Don't call your failure an agreement.' Zolfaghari rejected any suggestion of ongoing talks and indicated Iran sees no return to oil market stability or pre-war conditions until its objectives are met. The significance of the statement lies in its source: Khatam al-Anbiya Central HQ is Iran's operational military command, distinct from the foreign ministry or diplomatic corps. The military command directly contradicting Trump's talk of negotiations — on the same day that Iran's foreign ministry channel transmitted formal conditions via the Pakistan back-channel — suggests a divided Iranian position, or a deliberate 'good cop / bad cop' strategy: the foreign ministry and Supreme National Security Council engaging diplomatically while the military publicly rejects talks to maintain domestic hardliner support and negotiating leverage. The reference to oil market stability as contingent on objectives met is also significant — Iran is explicitly linking military objectives to global economic pressure as leverage.