Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has emphasized that the country does not seek to occupy other nations' lands or expand beyond its borders, while firmly rejecting any demands for Iran to be stripped of its military and defense capabilities.
Pezeshkian said on Friday that removing Iran’s defensive capabilities would leave the nation vulnerable to attacks, adding, "Is it right to allow them to dismantle our military and defense capabilities and submit to them? Certainly not."
The Iranian president reaffirmed that Tehran is not striving for a so-called "Greater Iran," instead accusing Israel of pursuing a "Greater Israel" project. He stated that Iran views neighboring countries as brothers and sees no benefit in engaging in conflicts with them.
Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of trying to turn Gulf countries against Iran, stressing that Tehran seeks to prevent any conflict with regional states, despite internal challenges and disagreements that he claimed the U.S. and Tel Aviv are attempting to exploit.
He underscored the importance of Muslim unity, asserting that Shia and Sunni Muslims should stand united and that Iran aims to maintain relationships with Islamic countries without turning political disagreements into regional conflicts.
On the diplomatic front, Pezeshkian stated that Iran had reached an understanding with France to prevent the reimposition of sanctions, but alleged that the United States obstructed its completion, arguing that European countries lack full independence in decision-making.
The Iranian president also criticized U.S. military presence in the region, questioning why bases in Islamic countries are used to launch attacks against Iran, and asserted that while Iran does not wish to attack its neighbors, it will respond to sources of attacks on its territory.
Pezeshkian concluded by affirming the cohesion of state institutions and armed forces, warning against attempts to foment internal divisions, and stressing that Iran will continue to defend its sovereignty and military capabilities against any external threats.