Pezeshkian calls for unity and diplomacy

Iran’s president said the country has weathered recent American-Israeli pressure through national unity, public participation and steady leadership, arguing that cohesion prevented the country from sliding into chaos. He said the experience showed Iran could endure external pressure if people remain united, and urged continued solidarity at home.

President Masoud Pezeshkian also pointed to the economic toll of sanctions and conflict, saying exports and imports have dropped sharply and that Iran can no longer sustain earlier oil sales levels. He described the losses as evidence of the damage caused by restrictions, while calling for greater domestic production and reduced dependence on the U.S. dollar in trade.

On diplomacy, he said an interim understanding reached with Washington was undermined when the United States failed to respect it. He repeated that Iran is ready to meet commitments if the other side does the same, but will not remain bound if the other side withdraws. He rejected a zero-sum approach and said more dialogue could still produce results, while another war would close off those chances.

Pezeshkian also called for stronger regional diplomacy with neighboring and Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. He said security should come through direct dialogue and cooperation, not domination, and framed regional ties as a path to stability.

Separately, he said sanctions are hitting trade and fuel constraints, with imports and exports falling significantly and inflation remaining extremely high. At the same time, Washington has expanded financial pressure and targeted institutions tied to Iran’s dollar access, while Iran denounced the measures as economic warfare and warned against further escalation.