Pezeshkian: Iran not responsible for regional situation; Israel pushed Trump into war

“The Israeli regime has played the role of a fire-starter in this crisis and, by deceiving Trump, has pushed him toward war,” Pezeshkian told Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Turkey on Thursday.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is not responsible for the current situation in the region. For what purpose and on what basis has the United States entered this region and imposed a naval blockade?”

Pezeshkian said the era of unilateralism has come to an end, stressing that no country can impose its preferred order on others through force and coercion.

He stressed that Iran has never sought and is not seeking nuclear weapons, adding that Washington miscalculated Iran’s capabilities and strength by comparing the country with others.

“War is in no one’s interest, but the Islamic Republic of Iran will not surrender in the face of oppression and aggression and will deliver a firm response to any attack,” Pezeshkian stated.

The president said Washington has sought to break the resistance of the Iranian nation, pointing to its terrorist assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, military commanders, scientists, schoolchildren and other civilians.

"Nevertheless, these actions have produced the opposite of what the enemy intended, and national unity and internal cohesion have increased significantly compared to the pre-war period."

Pezeshkian also said the United States is seeking to restrict Iran’s maritime and air routes and is now attempting to block its land routes, but stressed that such measures will not achieve their intended objectives.

For his part, Lula condemned the US military aggression against Iran, saying Brazil had never imagined that Washington would attack the Islamic Republic.

Recalling his 2010 meeting with the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the Brazilian president said he had been explicitly assured that Iran’s nuclear activities were exclusively peaceful.

“The bombing of Iran was carried out under false pretexts, and this was a very difficult and bitter development for us,” Lula said.

He expressed Brazil’s solidarity with Iran, noting that the war has also caused serious economic difficulties for countries around the world, including Brazil, through rising gas, gasoline and oil prices.

Lula said Brazil is prepared to take the necessary steps to help restore peace and stability in the region and offered to facilitate efforts toward that goal.

He also expressed readiness to participate in regional security arrangements aimed at strengthening peace.

Criticizing Western efforts to portray Iran negatively in international relations and negotiations, Lula said Western governments repeatedly seek to present a distorted image of the Islamic Republic.

“American officials are accustomed to lying,” he said, recalling that US officials had advised Brazil against visiting Iran and made false claims about the Iranian people and the country's commitment to its obligations.

He stressed the need to counter false narratives about Iran, adding that Brazil wants to contribute to regional peace and ensure that the Iranian people can determine their own future without foreign interference.

Lula also called for expanding bilateral trade, noting that Iran and Brazil have previously recorded $3 billion in trade and that considerable potential exists to increase the figure.

“From our perspective, Iran has been wronged in this war, and the United States is guilty and responsible for this aggression,” he said.

The Brazilian president added that his country's foreign minister will maintain regular consultations with his Iranian counterpart and reaffirmed Brazil's readiness to expand cooperation with Tehran across various fields.