Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Seyed M. Marandi: Iran Rejects U.S. Deal - War Is Likely Imminent
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May 9, 2026 
Seyed M. Marandi, former advisor to Iran’s nuclear negotiation team and Tehran professor, lays out why Tehran rejects the US peace offer. He discusses Iran’s nonnegotiable demands, the high risk of imminent US or Israeli strikes, calibrated Iranian naval responses, regional ceasefire requirements, and how China and Russia view Iran’s strengthened standing.
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Limited Strikes To Signal Vulnerability Not Escalation
- Iranian strikes on US ships were deliberately limited to avoid escalation while demonstrating vulnerability of US assets in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Marandi reports damage was intentional but restrained, with drones used and no Iranian soldiers killed.
Strait Of Hormuz Is Controlled Not Closed
- Iran maintains it never closed the Strait of Hormuz but restricted passage to five states that participated against Iran, while friendly countries still pass.
- Marandi emphasizes the US has effectively caused near-total stoppage through its actions, not an Iranian closure.
Ceasefire Must Be Regional Including Gaza And Lebanon
- Iran insists on a regional ceasefire that includes Gaza and Lebanon; US attempts to remove those items from talks will block progress.
- Marandi stresses the 10-point plan Trump once accepted remains the negotiation framework.