Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
Iranwire – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday, January 11, 2026, warned that any attack on Iran would make all U.S. military bases, facilities, and vessels in the region “legitimate targets.”
His remarks followed developments a day earlier, on January 10, as nationwide protests entered their 14th consecutive night. That evening, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on social media that “Iran is closer to freedom than ever before,” adding that the United States was “ready to help.”
Several U.S. senators echoed Trump’s message by sharing his post and voicing support for the protests across Iran.
Following these statements, The New York Times reported – citing multiple U.S. officials – that Trump had recently been briefed on new options for possible military strikes against Iran.
Speaking in parliament for the first time since those comments and reports, Ghalibaf escalated his rhetoric, saying that in light of what he described as explicit signals of military intent against Iran, the country did not see itself as restricted to responding only after an attack had taken place. He framed this stance as part of what he called Iran’s right to “legitimate defense.”
Similar language had been used earlier by Iran’s Supreme National Defense Council. In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 – after Trump publicly supported the protests and warned that the Islamic Republic would face a “severe blow” if demonstrators were killed – the council said Iran did not consider itself confined to “post-action responses” and would treat “clear signs of threat” as part of its security calculations.
In his January 11 speech, Ghalibaf also claimed that after what he described as the enemy’s failure in a 12-day war with Iran, its strategy had shifted to a “terrorist war” using “ISIS-style tactics” to create casualties.
Ghalibaf’s hardline posture comes as his political ambitions have long extended beyond parliament. In 2024, IranWire reported that individuals presenting themselves as advisors to Ghalibaf had approached European and American diplomats, portraying him as a necessary “strongman” for a post-Ali Khamenei era.
According to a European diplomat familiar with those contacts, the outreach argued that internal power struggles within the Islamic Republic would intensify after Khamenei and that Ghalibaf was uniquely positioned to impose order, control rival factions, and maintain stability.
They also suggested that Ghalibaf could improve Iran’s relations with the outside world and remove what they described as radical elements from within the system.
Ghalibaf, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and ex-mayor of Tehran, has repeatedly reshaped his political image over the years. During the 2005 presidential election, he presented himself as a modernist, once describing his vision as that of “an Islamic Reza Shah,” a reference to Reza Shah Pahlavi, the authoritarian ruler of Iran from 1925 to 1941.
In recent years, Reza Shah’s name has been frequently chanted during anti-government protests, reflecting a growing rejection of the Islamic Republic among demonstrators.
Meanwhile, Ghalibaf’s accusations of “terrorist” tactics come despite extensive reporting by IranWire showing that Iranian security forces have used live ammunition against protesters. Medical sources in several cities have reported large numbers of wounded and dead being brought to hospitals.
There is still no verified, comprehensive data on the number of people detained, injured, or killed. However, medical sources told IranWire that the scale and brutality of the crackdown far exceed what has been publicly acknowledged.
More than two weeks into the protests, Iranian officials have largely addressed demonstrators through threats. Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the safety of protesters and detainees, expressing growing concern over the intensifying crackdown.
