Iran denies rumor of Speaker Qalibaf's resignation as negotiator

An Iranian official has denied rumors that parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has resigned as the country's chief negotiator. On April 24, the head of the Iranian parliament's communication and media center stated that Qalibaf has not stepped down from any position and continues to faithfully carry out his duties. The official added that it has not yet been decided whether Qalibaf will lead the Iranian delegation in upcoming talks, dismissing the rumors as an attempt to disrupt public opinion. The denial follows reports from Israeli sources on April 23 that claimed Qalibaf had resigned from the negotiating team due to interference from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.