Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Aug 22: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for an end to the months-long war with the United States, saying Tehran is in a position of “power and dignity” despite stalled diplomatic efforts.
“It is better that we bring the war to an end now as we are in a position of power and dignity,” Pezeshkian said during a meeting with doctors on Friday, according to Al Jazeera.
Pezeshkian claimed the international community recognised what he described as Iran’s victory and accused the United States of targeting Iranian schools, hospitals and infrastructure.
“The whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasises that America has attacked our schools, hospitals and infrastructure in violation of all regulations and is hated around the world,” he said.
His remarks came days after a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington expired without a clear diplomatic breakthrough to end the conflict.
Pezeshkian defends US deal
Pezeshkian also defended the June memorandum of understanding with Washington amid criticism from Iranian parliament hardliners, who accused his administration of making concessions to the United States.
“They cannot find even a single clause in this agreement that indicates capitulation. All the commitments concern the other side,” he said.
However, Iran’s military leadership has continued to signal readiness for further confrontation.
Major-General Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, said Iranian forces would respond to any new threats.
“With preparedness across land, sea, air, air defence and cyberspace, Iran’s armed forces will respond to the enemy’s new threats with crushing, punishing and devastating responses,” Abdollahi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.
IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi said Iran had established a “solid defensive shield” against threats. He also described continuing the country’s “Strategy of Defensive and Offensive Empowerment” as the only “intelligent and efficient solution”, Al Jazeera reported.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acknowledged the growing pressure on the country’s economy.
“No matter how much military power we have, we won't survive if people are hungry and we don't have financial turnover, economic growth and national production,” he said, according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency, as cited by Reuters.
Oman, Iran discuss resuming talks
Omani and Iranian foreign ministers discussed ways to create conditions for resuming dialogue and negotiations during a phone call on Friday, Oman’s state news agency reported.
The two sides also discussed developments affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera.
The strategic waterway remains at the centre of the confrontation. Iran has kept the strait partially shut, while the United States maintains a naval counterblockade.
Traffic through the waterway has been severely disrupted. Ship-tracking data showed only four commodity ships crossed the strait on Thursday, with none being large crude carriers or LNG tankers.
The Strait of Hormuz handled about one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies before the war, according to Reuters.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US military had helped move a seven-day average of about 8 million barrels of oil a day through the waterway, sharply below the more than 20 million barrels per day recorded before the conflict.
Iran’s parliament speaker has previously said Tehran would not reopen the strait until Washington fulfils commitments under a 14-point memorandum. These include lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing oil sanctions.
Trump says Iran not ready for ‘right deal’
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington was closely watching developments and suggested Iran was not yet ready to accept what he considers an appropriate agreement.
Asked whether US military options against Iran were limited, Trump said: “It just means that we're seeing what happens.”
“We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and that means well into it, the land areas. So, they would love to make a deal, but they're not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said.
His remarks came ahead of a planned announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday on new sanctions against Iran.
Bessent has said Washington would impose the “toughest sanctions in history” and has sought China’s cooperation in increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
China has rejected the approach, with its foreign ministry saying that “sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue” and calling instead for political and diplomatic efforts.
Iran has also criticised the planned sanctions. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the campaign as a continuation of failed US pressure policies.
“14 years ago: 'Most crippling sanctions in history.' Failed. 8 years ago: 'Maximum pressure.' Failed. 5 months ago: 'Unconditional surrender.' Failed. Today: 'Most crushing economic operation ever.' Bound to fail. We have seen this movie before. Same bull. Different bullies,” Araghchi said in a post on X.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry separately accused Washington’s planned measures of amounting to “economic terrorism”. A ministry spokesperson also described possible secondary sanctions as an assertion of “extraterritorial sovereignty” over independent UN member states.