Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed today that he does not seek war with Israel. However, he made it clear that Iran is prepared to respond appropriately to Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian military targets. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to convene tomorrow to discuss the escalating tensions.
In remarks made during a cabinet meeting, Pezeshkian stated, “We do not seek war, but we will defend the rights of our nation and our country.” He emphasized that Iran “will respond appropriately to the infringements of the Zionist regime.”
This week, Iran launched attacks against Israel in retaliation for the killing of a leader of a Tehran-backed militant group and a commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. In response, Israel conducted airstrikes on Iranian military facilities.
Israel has warned Tehran against further retaliation.
Pezeshkian criticized Israel’s “brutal actions” and the support it receives from the United States, which he claims are escalating regional tensions. “If the Zionist regime’s brutal behavior and its crimes continue, tensions will intensify,” he warned, adding that the U.S. had previously “promised to end the war in exchange for our restraint, but they have not kept their promise.”
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Switzerland, the current rotating president of the UN Security Council, announced that the council will meet tomorrow to discuss Israel’s attacks on Iran. The Swiss delegation to the UN stated that Iran’s request for the meeting has received support from Algeria, China, and Russia.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote to the 15-member Security Council, asserting that “the actions of the Israeli regime pose a significant threat to international peace and security, further destabilizing an already fragile region.” He reiterated that the Islamic Republic of Iran retains the inherent right to respond legally and justifiably to these acts of aggression at an appropriate time, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
The Israeli military reported conducting multiple waves of attacks yesterday, deploying a large number of fighter jets to target missile facilities near Tehran and other locations in western Iran. This response followed Iran’s launch of approximately 200 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier in the week. Israel has cautioned its formidable adversary against retaliating.