TEHRAN May 6, 2026 – Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sharply ridiculed U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic overtures Tuesday, declaring that Washington’s latest push for negotiations had failed in a pointed social media jab that quickly went viral.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ghalibaf wrote: “Operation Trust Me Bro failed. Now back to routine with Operation Fauxios.” The remark, posted at approximately 9:25 p.m. GMT, appears to dismiss recent U.S. claims of progress in indirect talks aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Gulf region.
The phrase “Operation Trust Me Bro” sarcastically references Trump administration assurances during back-channel discussions, while “Operation Fauxios” is widely interpreted as a pun on the U.S. news outlet Axios — which has reported extensively on the negotiations — combined with the French word “faux” meaning “fake.” Ghalibaf, who serves as Iran’s lead negotiator in the talks, has used X in recent weeks to mock U.S. pressure tactics, including threats of a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
The post comes hours after Trump announced a temporary pause in “Project Freedom,” a U.S.-led maritime security operation in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump cited “great progress” in negotiations with Iran and requests from allies including Pakistan as reasons for the pause. However, Iranian officials have portrayed the move as evidence of faltering U.S. leverage following weeks of heightened military posturing and economic pressure.
Ghalibaf’s latest statement continues a pattern of public defiance from Tehran. In recent days, he has repeatedly used social media to highlight what Iran calls the futility of U.S. “blockade” threats and to warn of rising global oil prices should tensions escalate further.
The exchange underscores the fragile state of U.S.-Iran relations in the second Trump administration. While Washington has pushed for a new nuclear and regional security agreement, Tehran has insisted on the lifting of sanctions and guarantees against future military action. Indirect talks, mediated through third parties including Oman and Qatar, have reportedly produced little movement.
Neither the White House nor the U.S. State Department immediately responded to Ghalibaf’s post. Axios, referenced in the pun, has not issued a statement.
The Iranian speaker’s comment drew mixed reactions online, with supporters praising Tehran’s “trolling” of a superpower and critics dismissing it as empty rhetoric amid Iran’s economic challenges.
Life News Agency will continue monitoring developments in the U.S.-Iran negotiations.
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