Iran does not seek war, but it will firmly defend itself against any aggressor, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday. He stressed that no outside power could force a determined nation to surrender.
Speaking in Tehran at a ceremony to inaugurate several infrastructure projects, Pezeshkian said his government was working to serve the Iranian people and protect the country’s dignity, prosperity and future.
The president said national unity remained the foundation of Iran’s strength. He added that one of his administration’s main goals over the past two years had been to preserve cohesion among the people during a period of serious pressure and uncertainty, as reported by The Tasnim News Agency.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is not the initiator of war,” Pezeshkian said. “We do not welcome war, but we will stand firmly against any aggressor with strength.”
His remarks came as Iran continues to face diplomatic pressure and threats from abroad. Pezeshkian said the country would not surrender despite the efforts of its diplomats, the support of the Iranian people, the work of government officials and the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces.
“We will not bow our heads before any threat, just as we have demonstrated many times before,” he said.
The president also thanked Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei for his message marking Government Week, as well as for his guidance and support.
Pezeshkian concluded by saying that lasting peace and stability could not be imposed from outside the region. If peace is to be achieved, he said, “this peace will emerge from within our region.”
His message combined a call for calm with a warning: Iran may prefer peace, but it believes peace must be protected through unity, strength and national determination.
