Iran’s president tells Fox anchor the war was ‘imposed on us’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News on Thursday that Tehran did not initiate the six-month-long conflict with the United States and warned Iran would "respond strongly, resolutely" if attacks persist. Speaking to host Bret Baier on Special Report, Pezeshkian said, "We did not choose war, the war was imposed on us. We do not seek war," and rejected the notion that Iran had started hostilities.

Pezeshkian pushed back against recent public pressure from President Trump, who this week again threatened Iran with further destruction if an agreement is not reached and suggested Iran might wait until after the fall election to strike a deal. Pezeshkian denied that Tehran was delaying negotiations for electoral timing and accused the United States of attempting to destabilize Iran and foster internal unrest to undermine the government.

The president reiterated Tehran's position that it has not sought nuclear weapons, citing multiple declarations by Iran's late supreme leader that nuclear weapons are forbidden on religious grounds. He also pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed in June between Iran and the U.S., saying Iran was willing to pursue that agreement and preferred resolving disputes through diplomacy rather than continued military action.

Pezeshkian made the remarks while in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where he similarly proclaimed that Iran would not back down and would continue to defend itself. He framed recent U.S. actions as delivering "guided missiles, heavy weapons and destruction" rather than any promised benefits to the Iranian people, and emphasized Tehran's openness to negotiations if they proceed.