Iranian President: We do not wish to expand or prolong the war

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country does not wish to expand the war with the United States, but will mobilize its full strength to defend its territorial integrity and national interests. This came during a speech he delivered on Tuesday at the launch ceremony of the National Family Medicine Program in the capital, Tehran. Pezeshkian clarified that Iran would continue to defend its sovereignty against American attacks. He added, “We will defend the integrity of our territory with all our might, but we do not wish to expand or prolong the war.”

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his country “would deliver very severe strikes against Iran, until it says it can no longer endure.” However, on Sunday, he reversed course, stating that he had agreed to cancel the strikes in exchange for reaching an agreement “quickly.”

Between July 8 and July 24, the United States launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate by striking what it described as U.S. military facilities and equipment in Arab countries, particularly Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

This escalation followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran on June 18, which led to negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement before stalling due to disagreements over security guarantees and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical strategic waterways for global energy supplies and trade.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran, which, according to Tehran, resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 people. Iran responded with attacks it claimed caused U.S. and Israeli casualties.