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‘Full-fledged war’ with US, Israel, Europe, Iranian president says

Masoud Pezeshkian told an official Iranian news site that “they do not want our country to stand on its feet.”

Masoud Pezeshkian
Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian president, in December 2025. Source: Islamic Republic official publication.

Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, told an official publication of the Islamic Republic that his country is at war against the West.

“In my opinion, we are in a full-fledged war with America, Israel and Europe. They do not want our country to stand on its feet,” he told the publication. “This war is worse than Iraq’s war against us.”

“If one understands it well, this war is far more complex and difficult than that war. In the war with Iraq, the situation was clear. They fired missiles, and I also knew where to hit,” he said. “Here, they are besieging us from every aspect. They are putting us in difficulty and constraint, creating problems—in terms of livelihood, culturally, politically and security-wise—while raising society’s expectations.”

“On one side, they block our sales, our exchanges, our trade and on the other side, expectations in society have risen,” he said.

Later in the interview, the Iranian president claimed that “our dear military forces are doing their job with power.”

“Despite all the problems we face, we are now, in terms of both equipment and personnel, far stronger than we were during their previous attacks,” he said. “Therefore, if they choose to strike, they will naturally face a more decisive response.”

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