Iran Says US War Was Imposed, Vows Strong Response

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday that Tehran did not choose its conflict with the United States, telling Fox News that the war was “imposed” on Iran and warning that Iran would respond “strongly” if attacks continued.

Speaking in an interview with Bret Baier on Special Report, Pezeshkian said: “We did not choose war, the war was imposed on us. We do not seek war.” He added that Tehran had not started the confrontation, and said Iran would react decisively if the fighting continued.

Tehran Rejects Responsibility for the Conflict

Pezeshkian’s remarks came as the U.S.-Iran conflict, now in its sixth month, has shown few signs of winding down.

He said, “We never started a war,” and argued that further pressure from Washington would not deter Iran. “But if they wish to keep fighting with us, we will respond strongly, resolutely,” he told the programme.

The comments followed renewed warnings from President Donald Trump this week. Trump threatened Iran with further destruction if it did not reach an agreement with the United States, and he claimed Iran was waiting until after the fall election to negotiate.

Denies Claims Iran Will Delay a Deal

Pezeshkian pushed back against Trump’s assertions. He denied that Iran intended to wait until after the midterm elections to reach an agreement, and he accused the United States of seeking to destabilise the region and undermine Iran’s political system.

He described Trump’s approach as offering “a gift” to Iran’s people, saying that the result had been violence. “Trump kept saying, ‘I want to bring a gift to the people of Iran,’” Pezeshkian said. “But the gift that they brought us were guided missiles, heavy weapons and destruction.”

The Iranian president also argued that Washington was trying to fuel unrest inside Iran in order to “pave the way for the downfall” of the country’s political leadership.

Nuclear stance and push for Negotiations

Pezeshkian further claimed Iran “never sought nuclear weapons”, despite years of international scrutiny over its uranium enrichment and wider nuclear programme, which the Trump administration has sought to dismantle.

He said the position was rooted in a religious ruling, adding that it was “unholy” and “illegal”. Pezeshkian referred to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who he said was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.

Despite the confrontational tone, he said Iran remained open to diplomacy. Pezeshkian said disputes should be settled through negotiations rather than continued military action.

He also referenced an earlier step towards a deal, saying the two sides had already reached an agreement. “We did reach an agreement with your president,” he said, referring to a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran signed in June, which later fell apart. “That agreement was signed, and based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward.”

Defiant Message at United Nations

Pezeshkian was in New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he repeated his warnings and rejected any suggestion that Iran would stand down.

In his address to the UN, he said Iran would not surrender and would continue to defend itself as the conflict with the United States continues.

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25 September 2026

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