In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday, Pezeshkian set out the Islamic Republic’s position on key issues and drew a clear line against any renewed diplomatic engagement with the United States.
He said Qatar and Pakistan are currently mediating between Iran and the US and conveying Tehran’s messages to Washington, adding that those exchanges are based on a previous memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries. “The Americans must clarify their position on it,” he said.
Pezeshkian rejected any meeting with US President Donald Trump, arguing that such a move would serve no purpose because the Americans had failed to honor the agreement they signed.
Asked about the possibility of resolving the issue of the Strait of Hormuz through dialogue, he said closing the strategic waterway was a natural response to the blockade on Iranian maritime routes and ports.
The president emphasized, however, that the crisis could be resolved through negotiation, not force — a reference to repeated US threats and aggression under the pretext of opening the strait. He said the waterway “will remain open for trade if negotiations lead to resolving the dispute.”
On regional security amid escalation by extra-regional powers, Pezeshkian said peace and stability in West Asia can be achieved through cooperation among regional countries, without outside interference and military presence.
He also stressed the need for regional help to resolve the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, dismissing any Iranian involvement in developments in Yemen. “What is happening in Yemen is not linked to Iran,” he said, adding that the Islamic Republic “stands in solidarity with everyone who is subjected to injustice and oppression.”
Pezeshkian condemned Israel and the United States for “pitting Muslim countries against one another to control the region’s wealth,” arguing that they attacked Iran using the airspace and territories of Muslim countries.
He said the US and Israel “dragged” regional countries into war under the illusion that the Iranian system “would fall within days,” but that “Iranians stood firm in the face of American and Israeli attacks, and we will continue to stand firm.”
The president also highlighted plots and conspiracies being hatched against Iran, emphasizing that the enemies’ strategy had been based on sowing discord. He added that unprecedented internal unity and cohesion foiled divisive plots.
