An Iranian parliament spokesman has accused Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of deliberately using his public statements to calm global energy markets, saying he would face impeachment if not for wartime conditions.

Seyyed Morteza Mahmoudi, spokesman for parliament’s Internal Affairs Committee, said that “if it were not for the pretext of war, we would certainly have impeached him,” accusing Araghchi of making “strange and untimely statements” aimed at “calming the markets.” Mahmoudi warned that ignoring “the demand of millions of Iranians to know the details of the negotiations” risks fueling distrust in the system.

The controversy erupted after Araghchi announced on April 17 that the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a fifth of global oil flows, would be fully open to commercial vessels for the duration of the Lebanon ceasefire.

The announcement triggered a sharp drop in oil prices, with Brent crude falling below $88 a barrel for the first time since March.

The public has been plunged into confusion, according to IRGC-linked media. Tasnim News Agency called Araghchi’s post “bad, incomplete, and absolutely unsuccessful,” noting it lacked sufficient explanation about conditions and mechanisms for transit. Fars News Agency demanded officials explain “your inability to explain,” warning that without clear messaging, “the narrative of the enemy” would fill the gap.

The dispute is the clearest sign of factional infighting since the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with IRGC-backed media openly challenging the Foreign Ministry’s messaging authority. US President Donald Trump seized on the announcement, claiming Iran had agreed to “never again close the Strait of Hormuz.”