TEHRAN - Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has warned that the United States is trying to drive a wedge within Iranian society through its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

“The enemy seeks to exert economic pressure and spread media propaganda through its naval blockade and attempts to undermine national unity to force us into surrender,” Qalibaf said in an audio message on Wednesday.

The US imposed a naval blockade on Iran on April 13 after Pakistani-led talks in Islamabad between Tehran and Washington ended without a breakthrough. The negotiations followed a ceasefire that paused the joint US-Israeli war launched against Iran on February 28.

President Donald Trump has threatened to resume the war on Iran if Tehran does not reach a deal that meets his demands. Qalibaf stressed that the Iranian nation will never yield to pressure and said that a new war, particularly “terrorist attacks,” cannot be ruled out.

He said Iran is engaged in one of the most significant conflicts in its contemporary history. The parliament speaker added, “A final victory in this war would transform Iran into an influential player in the international system, paving the way for the country’s progress.”

Qalibaf urged the nation to spare no effort in boosting national cohesion and solidarity.

Late last month, Qalibaf released another audio message in which he said the Iranian nation has foiled US-Israeli plots since the outset of the war on February 28. He said the US sought to push Iran toward a “Venezuela-style” scenario, but that plan fell flat. He added that the US also attempted to activate separatist groups and send arms, but Iranian military and intelligence bodies nipped those efforts in the bud.