TEHRAN – Iran will not succumb to Western pressure and is ready to protect itself from any threat, President Masuud Pezeshkian declared on Monday, signaling a hardening stance as the nation strengthens its military capabilities and regional alliances in response to new Western pressures and security threats.
At a ceremony honoring firefighters, Pezeshkian made his strongest public statements since taking office, denounced the West as hypocrisy and vowed that Iran would never accept humiliation. “We refuse to bow our heads, so they want to sanction us,” he said. “The dream of putting Iran on his knees is nothing more than an illusion.”
Pezeshkian took office in 2024 with a promise to voters in recent years to try to correct their ties with the West regarding the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Iranian president to trust them after the US attacked Iran midway through negotiations in June, and E3 (Germany, UK, France) began the process of recouping non-sanctions against Tehran this week.
While Europe and the US are now expressing their desire to negotiate with Iran, Tehran claims that the West is wasting every opportunity for diplomatic solutions over the past year. Russia and China (two other signatories of the 2015 deal) measure this view. They argue that the current deadlock began with Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA and was exacerbated by the June war and the unconstructive alignment of Europe with the US and Israel.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian recalled that his enemy never expected the Iranians to unite during the 12 days of the US-Israel invasion in June. “They assumed Iran had weakened, but the immobility of the people confusing all the calculations.”
He criticized American and European politicians who spoke about human rights and democracy, saying, “Let’s see what they’re doing in Gaza. The administration that oased the chaos in the region has never been approved by the Security Council as the US has erased its veto decision.”
The concept of human rights, the UN and UNESCO is nothing more than a lie, the president said, “Because innocent people are killed right in front of their eyes, and Israel is attacking the country it wants.”
Before Pezeshkian’s remarks on Monday, Ayatollah, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, seized Ali Khamenei and clearly stated that negotiations with the US were “a dead end” and only harmed the country.
“The Americans have shown they can’t trust,” Ayatollah Khamenei told the Iranian state at a live video address. “Our experience proves that relying on our own capabilities and enhancing regional cooperation is the only way to ensure our security.”
Meanwhile, Iranian military facilities have publicly emphasized that they are ready to dodge new potential waves of aggression. The senior commander points to continued modernization efforts and interactions with regional countries.
Major General Yahiya Rahim Safavi, the leader’s senior military advisor, has recently expressed interest in a new defence agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, suggesting that Iran may consider taking part in such regional security arrangements. “Preparation should be declared as a community force,” Safavi said in a television interview. “This falls into our military diplomacy to play an active role in regional defense treaties.”
In separate remarks, Iranian military chief of staff, Major General Abdulrahim Musavi praised what was called the “decisive achievement” of the Iranian military during the conflict in 2025, saying the Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) have significantly improved their coordination.
Members also told the Tehran Times last week that the country has rapidly “dealed with weaknesses and strengthened its strengths” since the war halted on June 25th.