Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected the United States’ position on Iran’s nuclear facilities, stating that Washington has no justification to deny Tehran its nuclear rights, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.
In a statement, Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek to escalate conflict and has not initiated any wars or disputes. He stressed that the country does not want to give the impression that it is pursuing confrontation.
The Iranian president said that Tehran is acting in self-defence and wishes to see an end to tensions with dignity. He added that Iran remains committed to protecting its interests while avoiding further escalation.
Pezeshkian also referred to an incident involving Iranian nationals abroad, saying that some individuals had resisted pressure, while others who had been misled would soon return.
Earlier today, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran would continue its resistance and warned of a decisive response if hostilities resumed. He said the country’s navy was prepared to inflict further losses on its adversaries.
In a message marking Army Day, the Iranian leader praised the performance of the country’s armed forces and said their resistance against attacks by the United States and Israel had exposed the weaknesses of their opponents on the global stage.
Separately, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza warned that if aggression was imposed again, it could lead to a wider war.
He said Iran would respond using missiles developed this month and insisted that the United States could not prevent Iran from advancing its missile capabilities.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh, in a separate statement, said Tehran wished to keep the Strait of Hormuz open but accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts.
He criticised US President Donald Trump for making contradictory statements and said Iran had entered talks in good faith but now remained cautious.
Khatibzadeh added that what he described as an era of dominance had come to an end and warned that if conflict resumed, Iran would respond with full force.