Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that his country faces an escalating conflict with the United States if it does not pursue diplomacy.
Speaking with media leaders, Pezeshkian criticized opponents of talks with Washington regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. He stated that the United States would simply attack Iranian nuclear facilities again if they were to be rebuilt.
The U.S. joined Israel’s air campaign against Iran on June 22, bombing the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear centers with B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles. U.S. President Donald Trump later declared that the Iranian nuclear centers had been “completely destroyed.”
Pezeshkian said that while “surrender is not in our nature,” arguing would not lead anywhere. “Do you want to go to war?” he asked.
Criticism and Diplomatic Standoff
Pezeshkian’s statements were immediately criticized by the Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In an editorial, Tasnim wrote that when enemies hear these words, the only impression they will get is of Iranian “weakness.” The news agency’s stance was echoed by Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor-in-chief of the Kayhan agency, who, without evidence, claimed the U.S. and Israel had “openly admitted defeat” and that Washington had “begged” Iran for talks.
Last month, Iran held discussions with European powers about its nuclear program, but a new date for talks has not been announced. European governments have warned that if significant progress is not made in talks between Tehran and Washington by the end of August, they will reinstate United Nations sanctions against Iran. Iran has described this as an end to Europe’s role in the nuclear issue.
A new round of U.S.-Iran talks, which had been scheduled for June 15, was canceled due to the conflict. The two sides have yet to agree to a new meeting, with Tehran citing a lack of trust in Washington and the White House questioning the logic of holding talks after the damage inflicted on the Iranian nuclear centers.
