Iran ready to end war if given firm guarantees - Pezeshkian

Speaking in a phone call on Tuesday with European Council President Antonio Costa, Pezeshkian said the only way to normalise the situation resulting from what he described as “US-Israeli aggression” is for the “aggressors” to cease their attacks, News.Az reports, citing Iran’s English-language Press TV.

“We have never sought tension or war at any stage, and we have the necessary resolve to end this war if the required conditions are met, especially the necessary guarantees to prevent a recurrence of aggression,” he said.

The president said Iran respects the sovereignty of its neighbouring countries and has never sought to attack them, adding that it had been left with no option but to strike US bases located in those countries.

“These nations have not fulfilled their international responsibility to prevent the use of their territory for attacks against Iran,” Pezeshkian said during the call.

He also criticised the European Union for what he described as a failure to condemn the ongoing US-Israeli attacks, calling it a flagrant violation of the rule of law and an assault on the principles the bloc claims to uphold.

“Instead of adopting a destructive approach towards Iran, the EU should calibrate its policies and positions based on international law and in line with the rules of constructive and professional engagement with other parties,” he said, according to a statement published by his office in Persian.

Costa, for his part, said EU countries have not supported the attack on Iran and view it as a violation of international law.

He also emphasised the need to end the confrontation in the region, while expressing concern about its negative political and economic repercussions.