Iranian president warns Trump against turmoil, touts dialogue

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday urged US President Donald Trump to refrain from creating turmoil in the region, stating that outstanding disputes could be settled through dialogue and strict adherence to a memorandum of understanding reached earlier this year. Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran, Pezeshkian emphasized that diplomacy remained the preferred path to securing national rights. "If we proceed through dialogue and on the basis of the memorandum of understanding, we will resolve the problems and secure our rights," he said, according to Mehr News Agency.

Warnings against escalation

The president cautioned that destabilization served no party's interests. "It is in the interest of the country, the region and the world that Trump does not create turmoil and that Israel does not cause insecurity and aggression," he stated. Pezeshkian stressed that Tehran did not seek armed conflict but would respond forcefully to any aggression, adding that no external power could compel a unified nation to capitulate.

War context and memorandum terms

Pezeshkian reiterated that Iranian officials and military commanders would "never surrender" in the face of threats, accusing Israel of attempting to foment divisions among Muslim states. "We do not like war, but we will stand with strength against aggression and defend ourselves," he said. The remarks come amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on Feb. 28 with attacks targeting military, nuclear and infrastructure sites across the country.

Iran and the US reached a 14-point memorandum of understanding in June, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, aimed at ending hostilities and opening a 60-day window for negotiations toward a broader agreement. The memorandum also addressed the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of the US naval blockade, though Tehran has maintained that further progress depends on Washington fulfilling its commitments under the accord. Iranian officials have stated that the strategic waterway will not fully reopen until those obligations are implemented.