Iran's Pezeshkian: End war while Tehran holds 'power, dignity'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday characterized the recent memorandum of understanding with Washington as a "major achievement" sanctioned by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, rejecting domestic criticism that Tehran had made unilateral concessions while arguing that the war should end while the Islamic Republic maintains its position of strength.

Agreement defended as 'honorable and valuable'

Speaking at a public event, Pezeshkian described the outcome of the negotiations as "honorable and valuable," insisting that the document contained no clauses indicating Iranian surrender. "They cannot find even a single clause in this agreement that indicates surrender; all the commitments are related to the other side," he said, according to a statement from the Iranian presidency. He added that council members directly involved in the talks had firmly defended the final text.

Warnings against 'bullying'

Pezeshkian stressed that the agreement did not signal Tehran's submission in the event of renewed hostilities, warning that Iran's military remains fully prepared to defend the country. "We will under no circumstances bow to bullying," he said. "We will stand against them until our last breath and give them a crushing response." He accused the United States of violating international rules through attacks on Iranian schools, hospitals and infrastructure, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining domestic unity.

Islamabad memorandum

The Iranian president argued that the war should conclude while Tehran maintains a position of "power and dignity," describing the present moment as an appropriate opportunity for a settlement. "It is better to end the war today, when we are in a position of power and dignity," he said. Iran and the US signed a 14-point memorandum in Islamabad on June 18 under Pakistani and Qatari mediation, providing for an end to the war and a 60-day period of negotiations toward a final agreement. Tehran later accused Washington of violating the memorandum, while Islamabad and Doha have continued shuttle diplomacy between the two sides.