Iran Speaker Says Bessent, Hegseth Are ‘Out of Their League’

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Tuesday attacked the US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, saying they were “out of their league” in efforts to bring Tehran back to peace negotiations.

In a post on the social media platform X, Qalibaf said Washington believed that applying greater pressure to Iran would produce concessions that, he argued, were not part of any existing agreement. He added that Hegseth and Bessent should not be relied upon to steer the approach, urging US officials to stop waiting for them to reverse the situation.

Criticism Of US Pressure Approach

Qalibaf’s comments came as the Trump administration continues to seek ways to increase pressure on Iran. He framed the current strategy as a misunderstanding of what Iran would accept, and criticised the attempt to use force and sanctions to move Tehran towards talks.

The speaker’s remarks also followed a period in which Hegseth, who oversees the US Department of Defence, has made limited public comments about the status of the US war against Iran in recent weeks. On Monday, he defended the Trump administration’s military actions during a public appearance at the Iowa State Fair.

Hegseth Defends Military Actions

At an event honouring service members, veterans and their families, Hegseth repeated a line from President Trump that the war is necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Speaking at the event, Hegseth said there is a “cost” associated with difficult decisions involving national defence, which he linked to the objective of ensuring Iran does not acquire nuclear capability. He also said he was unwilling to accept a future in which a chance to address the threat had been missed.

Hegseth’s intervention, which focused on the rationale for continued military pressure, came alongside broader efforts by Washington to push Iran towards negotiations.

Sanctions Signal And No Talks

Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, meanwhile indicated last week that Washington would consider sanctions on Iran that he described as unprecedented. His remarks suggested the administration is looking for further economic measures to increase leverage.

The US has also tried to pressure Iran over access through the Strait of Hormuz and to return the sides to negotiations. However, officials have said that efforts to bring Iran back to talks have not produced significant results.

On Tuesday, President Trump said there were no current negotiations with Iran. He said the war, now in its sixth month, has no clear end in sight, extending uncertainty over how the conflict might be resolved.

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19 August 2026