Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the United States must lift its sanctions and end its threats and pressure against Iran before any negotiations can take place, blaming Washington’s war-seeking mentality for regional tensions and disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran on Tuesday evening, commending Islamabad for its efforts to ease tensions and resolve disputes through diplomacy.
Reviewing Washington’s repeated breaches of commitments, President Pezeshkian said the United States had attacked Iran while negotiations were underway. He also referred to the assassination of Iran’s Leader, scientists and innocent schoolchildren, arguing that the attacks had occurred without legal justification.
“All the problems created in the region, from escalating tensions and conflict to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, stem from the Americans’ war-seeking mentality,” the Iranian president said.
President Pezeshkian maintained that Iran had demonstrated its good faith in negotiations and nuclear inspections within the framework of international laws and regulations.
He questioned Washington’s calls for dialogue while it continued to intensify sanctions, increase pressure and restrict Iran’s access to international channels.
He said Iran remained ready for talks but emphasized that the United States must first demonstrate its willingness to remove threats and sanctions. Washington, he added, should explain why it initiated a war that had drawn both the United States and the world into difficulties.
The president warned that military action would not achieve Washington’s objectives and would instead cause destruction and damage across the region. He said the Iranian public did not trust the United States, fearing that Washington might launch another attack even if negotiations resumed.
President Pezeshkian said Iran’s adversaries were constantly threatening an attack in an attempt to intimidate the Iranian people, but stressed that the nation was not afraid of martyrdom.
He said Pakistan, as a Muslim brother, should convey to Washington that Muslims should not be treated this way. “We do not seek to impose our will on anyone, but we will not submit to coercion,” he said.
Field Marshal Munir briefed President Pezeshkian on Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and expressed concern about the possibility of renewed conflict. He reaffirmed Islamabad’s readiness to help resolve outstanding issues through diplomatic means.
The Pakistani army chief expressed regret that the Islamabad memorandum of understanding had not been implemented, stressing that negotiations should not be interpreted as weakness or surrender to the United States. Rather, he said, diplomacy offered a way to resolve disputes without war, confrontation or insecurity.
He also briefed the Iranian president on security measures and disruptions affecting transport routes. He said the matter had been raised with officials at Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and that the temporary problem had been resolved as of Tuesday morning.