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Iran will not allow war to end on ‘aggressor’s conditions’
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that Iran did not initiate the war but “We will not allow the war to end on the aggressor’s terms” as tensions running high between Tehran and Washington following imposition of new sanctions by the United States against Iran.
“Iranian officials have spoken very clearly about the seriousness and determination in defending Iran’s territory. We will not show no leniency toward the aggressors; because the Islamic Republic of Iran did not initiate the war and has defended its rights, territorial integrity and national sovereignty. Naturally, the aggressor must be held accountable. We certainly did not initiate the war, but we will not allow the end of the war to be based on the conditions set by the aggressor”, Baqaei said during his weekly presser.
He made the comments in response to a question about recent remarks by President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had said it would be better to end the war now while Iran is “in a position of strength and dignity”. However, the president warned on Friday that Tehran would respond forcefully to any renewed attack.
The spokesman cited Pezeshkian as repeatedly making clear that Iranians would not surrender to force or domination, and stressed that Iran would not accept the aggressor’s excessive demands.
Economic pressure
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced new economic measures against Iran and warned that countries that maintain economic engagement with Tehran would face consequences.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was announcing “the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country!”
He added that any country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face tremendous economic consequences.
Baqaei said US measures variously described as “crippling sanctions,” “maximum pressure,” and “economic warfare” pursued the same objective of trying to force Iran to surrender its rights.
He, however, said these efforts had failed and attributed current menacing US rhetoric to “desperation” and Washington’s miscalculation concerning the effects of military aggression.
Aiding aggressors
He also said countries should have no concerns about Iran unless they make their bases, facilities, or equipment available to parties carrying out acts of aggression against the country.
Baqaei was responding to questions about reports in Western media outlets that US bases on European territory could be targeted if European states resumed their participation in acts of aggression against Iran.
“We also heard that a number of KC-135 tanker aircraft have left Bulgaria,” the official stated, reacting to a report that the aircraft had left the European country amid local protests and strong warnings by the Islamic Republic against third countries abetting aggression against the Iranian nation.
“We have no problem with the people of Bulgaria,” the spokesman said. However, participation in atrocities targeting the Islamic Republic “constitutes an act of aggression,” he stated.
“We hope that other countries that have, in one way or another, made their bases and facilities available to the United States and the Zionist regime to commit an act of aggression against a United Nations member state will also take the necessary action,” Baqaei said.
“There is no reason for any country to have concerns about Iran, unless it has made its bases, facilities, and equipment available to the aggressors for the purpose of carrying out [such] an unlawful and illegal act,” he said, asserting the Islamic Republic’s right to retaliate against the origin of an attack on its soil.