Iranian President Pezeshkian Reaffirms Commitment to Regional Relations, Stresses Right to Self-Defense
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remains committed to good relations with neighboring countries but maintains the right to defend itself against threats. Meanwhile, Qatar condemned Iranian strikes on its territory and called for de-escalation.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to maintaining friendly relations with regional states while emphasizing Tehran’s right to respond to what he described as military threats against the country.
In a post published on Saturday, on X, Pezeshkian said Iran continues to emphasize the preservation and continuation of friendly relations with regional governments based on good neighborliness and mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He added that this position “does not negate Iran’s inherent right to defend itself against military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime.”
The Iranian president said the country is prepared to defend itself “to the last breath,” stressing that Iran’s military operations are directed exclusively at targets and facilities that he said serve as the origin of aggressive actions against the Iranian people.
“We will stand and resist to defend our country,” Pezeshkian wrote, adding that Iran considers such targets legitimate objectives.
In another message, he stated that Iran has not attacked friendly or neighboring countries but has instead targeted U.S. military bases, facilities, and infrastructure in the region.
Separately, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of Iran, accused the United States of attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island.
Araghchi described the alleged strike as “a blatant and desperate crime,” saying it disrupted water supplies in 30 villages. He warned that targeting Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move that could have serious consequences.
Meanwhile, Qatar strongly condemned Iranian attacks that targeted its territory.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, said in a phone call with Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s foreign minister, that the Iranian strikes on Qatari territory are unacceptable “under any justification or pretext.”
During the conversation, the two officials discussed the growing military escalation in the region and its implications for international and regional security and stability.
Al Thani said Qatar has consistently sought to distance itself from regional conflicts and has worked as a mediator to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the international community.
He also stressed the need for an immediate halt to the escalation and called for a return to dialogue and diplomatic solutions to manage the crisis and preserve regional stability.
For his part, Abdelatty urged efforts to reduce tensions and rely on diplomacy and negotiations to prevent further instability in the region.
The statements reflect rising diplomatic tensions across the Middle East as regional and international actors respond to the ongoing escalation involving Iran and U.S. interests in the region.