Iran Says US Will Not Decide When War or Peace Begins
TEHRAN – Iran has declared that it will not allow the United States to decide when war begins or ends, insisting that all decisions related to the country’s security will be based solely on its own national interests.
Speaking at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei responded to reports about alleged Iranian and American reactions to a Pakistan- and Qatar-backed proposal aimed at opening negotiations to end the conflict between the two countries, according to Tasnim News Agency.
Baqaei dismissed suggestions that Washington could control the course of the conflict. He argued that the United States had failed to achieve its objectives and was now facing the consequences of its own actions.
“A war that was meant to force Iran into surrender has instead left its planners trapped in a difficult situation,” he said, adding that the United States and Israel were struggling with a crisis they had helped create.
The spokesman stressed that Iran’s leadership would continue to make decisions through its own established national process. He said the country’s security and national interests remained the highest priorities and would guide every major decision.
“We will not allow the United States to determine the time of war or peace,” Baqaei said. “We will defend ourselves for as long as necessary.”
According to the Iranian government, the United States and Israel launched what Tehran describes as an unlawful military campaign against Iran on February 28. Iranian officials claim the fighting ended with a ceasefire on April 8 after what they described as successful retaliatory operations by Iranian forces.
Tehran also said that on June 17 it signed a Pakistan-mediated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Washington to end hostilities and create a path for further negotiations. However, Iranian officials accused the United States of violating the agreement shortly after it was reached.
Baqaei said Iran’s response reflected its determination to protect its sovereignty and security, while making clear that the country’s future decisions would remain independent of foreign influence.
