Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday urged US President Donald Trump to avoid further instability in the region, saying outstanding disputes could be resolved through dialogue and implementation of an existing memorandum of understanding.
Speaking at a ceremony in Tehran, Pezeshkian said negotiations based on the memorandum offered a path towards resolving differences while protecting Iran’s interests.
“If we proceed through dialogue and on the basis of the memorandum of understanding, we will resolve the problems and secure our rights,” he said, according to Mehr News Agency.
Pezeshkian said avoiding further turmoil was in the interests of Iran, the wider region and the international community, while also accusing Israel of contributing to insecurity and aggression.
The Iranian president reiterated that Tehran did not seek another war but warned that the country would respond forcefully to any attack.
“We do not like war, but we will stand with strength against aggression and defend ourselves,” he said.
While emphasising Tehran’s preference for negotiations, Pezeshkian said Iran’s population, political leadership and military would not surrender in response to external threats or pressure. He also accused Israel of attempting to create divisions among Muslim countries and called for greater unity among Islamic nations.
Addressing Iran’s domestic challenges, Pezeshkian identified maintaining industrial production through the coming winter as a government priority, saying interruptions to gas, electricity and water supplies to productive sectors should be avoided.
He said the government planned to manage consumption of water, electricity, gas and fuel and, if restrictions became unavoidable, would impose them first on government offices and public buildings instead of placing the initial burden on households.
Pezeshkian called for public cooperation in managing the country’s resources and maintaining stability, while insisting that economic and political pressure would not compel Iran to surrender.