US bases, Zionist regime legitimate targets: Ghalibaf
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said recent strikes and blockade moves have made U.S. and Israeli assets in the region legitimate targets.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Ghalibaf used his X account to argue that Washington and Tel Aviv do not respect ceasefires or talks, citing the Beirut strike and the naval blockade. He said Iranian armed forces have a free hand and that U.S. and Israeli bases and assets are now legitimate targets.
Ghalibaf is saying that because of recent attacks and blockades, Iran sees U.S. and Israeli bases in the region like targets on a map. It is like saying, “If someone keeps throwing rocks, the other side may hit back.”
Analysis
What Ghalibaf said
In a post on Sunday, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reacted to the Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburb, Dahiyeh, and comments by U.S. President Donald Trump. He said Washington and Tel Aviv have shown they are not committed to ceasefires or dialogue.
Core message
Ghalibaf wrote that the two sides “only understand the language of power,” according to the article. He linked the naval blockade and what he described as violations of agreements concerning Lebanon to his claim that U.S. and Israeli bases and assets in the region are now legitimate targets.
Political framing
The statement is presented as a direct warning rather than a policy announcement. Ghalibaf said Iranian armed forces have “a free hand,” which suggests he was endorsing a broad deterrent posture rather than describing a specific operation.
Broader context
The article ties the comments to the latest escalation around Beirut and to the wider Iran-U.S.-Israel confrontation. Its focus is on signaling: Tehran’s parliamentary leadership is publicly casting recent attacks and blockade measures as justification for retaliation or expanded military options.
Key points
- Ghalibaf said U.S. and Israeli bases and assets in the region are legitimate targets.
- He linked his warning to the Israeli strike on Beirut’s Dahiyeh and the naval blockade.
- He accused Washington and Tel Aviv of not respecting ceasefires or dialogue.
- He said Iranian armed forces have a free hand.
If the warning helps deter further attacks, it could reduce pressure on Lebanon and slow the next round of escalation. It may also strengthen Iran’s messaging by showing internal political unity around its red lines.
The statement could deepen tensions by making U.S. and Israeli facilities more likely to be treated as targets in future retaliation. It may also reduce room for ceasefire diplomacy if both sides read the message as a signal that force, not negotiation, is now the dominant approach.
