The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding represents a defeat for the United States, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf stated on Wednesday, emphasizing that regional security must be guaranteed by regional countries, not nations far from the region.

Speaking en route to Azerbaijan to attend the conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ghalibaf stated  the memorandum is "a declaration of America's defeat."

The head of the Iranian negotiating delegation stressed that the memorandum "was not the result of pressure or coercion, but rather the fruit of resistance and the authority of the brave Iranian people." He noted that the document proved that "dialogue will reach a conclusion when the other side abandons its imposition of will and accepts our rights."

Ghalibaf further asserted that "experience has proven that diplomacy is sustainable and effective when it is based on respect and equality and grounded in popular support."

On regional security, he underscored that "it must be guaranteed by the countries of the region," adding that "powers and nations that come from thousands of miles away cannot achieve regional security; rather, they themselves are factors that undermine security."

US-Israeli war on Iran organized effort to change regional balance: Ghalibaf

Referring to the US-Israeli war against his country, which lasted approximately 40 days, Ghalibaf asserted it is a "criminal act", affirming that it "was not merely a military dream, but an organized effort to change the strategic balance of power in the region and impose a foreign will upon a free people."

"Thanks to the resistance of the armed forces and the courage of the people in the streets, Iran was able to inflict heavy losses on America and the Israeli entity," he added.

On a separate note, Ghalibaf remarked that the visit to Baku was "a very good opportunity for the Islamic Republic to be among council heads and delegations to present its views on last year's events, particularly the Ramadan War and its regional repercussions, and to explain them to council heads and delegations."

The Iranian Parliament Speaker concluded by stating that Iran and Azerbaijan are tied through bilateral relations, with efforts focused on strengthening them in this visit.