Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran will not accept any pressure aimed at forcing the country to accept defeat or submit.
Addressing the nation to mark two years of his presidency, President Pezeshkian said Iran wanted to secure its rights through negotiations rather than war and would never retreat from its principled position, according to Press TV.
He questioned why Iran should fight a war when its rights could be secured through dialogue. He accused Israel of wanting the war to continue and said Iran had succeeded in securing a ceasefire through negotiations and had also achieved some easing of sanctions through talks.
Pezeshkian said a request had been made for Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to join Iran's negotiating team, and the request had been accepted. Representatives of the judiciary, Parliament, armed forces and other institutions were also part of the team. He said the presence of representatives from all institutions showed that the country was united.
The Iranian president stressed that the Islamic Republic would continue to defend the rights it regarded as its own and maintain its military and defensive capabilities. He warned that any attempt to force Iran to bow or submit would be resisted.
Pezeshkian has termed Iran's military response during what he called recent unprovoked Israeli and American aggression as a defensive measure. He praised the performance of Iran's armed forces, saying the country had been forced to defend itself and that its fighters, Aerospace Forces, army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other military personnel had mounted a strong defence.
Israel and US accused of seeking Gulf unity against Iran
Pezeshkian strongly criticised the Israeli government and the United States over efforts to unite Persian Gulf countries against Iran.
He said Israel and the US were trying to bring the Gulf states together against Iran through the current war, while Iran was working to prevent such a move.
Despite the provocations by Tel Aviv and Washington, Pezeshkian said Iran believed in Muslim unity. He rejected the idea that differences between Shia and Sunni Muslims should be used to divide them.
He said his belief in Muslim unity was genuine and that Muslims were brothers.
Pezeshkian also rejected the suggestion that Iran sought regional expansion or intended to attack neighbouring countries. He contrasted Iran's official position with the regional ambitions of the Israeli government.
He said Iran had no intention of attacking another country, occupying its territory or expanding its borders. In contrast, he accused the Zionists of seeking to establish a Greater Israel.
He added that Iran was a neighbour to the countries of the region, shared borders with them and should live alongside them peacefully.
