Key facts
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated Tehran is not seeking war but will respond decisively to aggression.
- Pezeshkian's remarks followed a U.S. assault on Larak island that resulted in casualties.
- He urged U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid creating turmoil and resolve issues through dialogue.
- Pezeshkian accused Israel of attempting to create divisions among Muslim nations.
- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called for the removal of 'foreigners' from the region.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of luring Washington into war on Iran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran is "not looking for war" but will "never sit still in the face of any aggression." His comments followed a U.S. assault on Larak island, which resulted in casualties among Iranian fighters and civilians. Pezeshkian asserted that Iran "will give a decisive response to the aggressors" if attacked again, warning that instability in the region is not in any country's interest.
Speaking before traveling to Bishkek for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Pezeshkian urged U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid creating turmoil and resolve issues through dialogue and the implementation of a memorandum of understanding. He specifically stated that it is in the interest of the country, the region, and the world for Trump not to create turmoil and for Israel not to cause insecurity and aggression.
Pezeshkian emphasized national solidarity as Iran's core strength and reiterated that no power can force a nation with full resolve to surrender. He also accused Israel of seeking to sow divisions among Muslim countries, suggesting that greater unity among Islamic nations could thwart such efforts. The president highlighted the importance of maintaining industrial production during the upcoming winter, stressing that energy supplies to production facilities should not be interrupted and that government consumption would be managed first.
He linked domestic cohesion to regional security, asserting that internal unity disrupts external powers' attempts to destabilize the Middle East. Pezeshkian called for deeper collaboration among neighboring and Islamic nations to neutralize foreign interference, concluding that regional nations can secure stability and growth through unified cooperation. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi stated that "foreigners must be cut off" from the region following the attack and that Washington needs to "learn a serious lesson" to avoid repeating aggressions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of maneuvering Washington into fighting Israel’s war, citing Netanyahu's past statements about advocating for military action against Iran. The IRGC issued a warning regarding ships violating security regulations in the Strait of Hormuz. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash called for de-escalation and the restoration of shipping through the strait. Meanwhile, U.S. military commanders warned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that continued large-scale operations against Iran were stretching American forces worldwide.