Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country’s regional neighbors are “brothers” as he downplayed its retaliatory strikes as an obligation not intended to undermine Iran’s connections to other Middle Eastern states.
At the same time, Pezeshkian said, Iran must respond to attacks.
“Responding to an attack does not mean we want conflict with that country or want to upset its people. We are forced to respond,” he said.
Earlier, he said neighboring countries would be spared its military offensives “unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.”
Some of Iran’s most influential regional neighbors include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, which all host U.S. military personnel.
“If any country attacks our land, we must respond to that attack,” Pezeshkian said in remarks posted to telegram.
The president said Iran must reject the killing of “innocent” people during the war, and he asked if the United States also felt this way.
“Iran has not bowed and will not bow to bullying, injustice, and invasion,” Pezeshkian said.
He urged people of the Middle East to stand together and take to the streets.
“Everyone should come because we want to defend the land and water of our country,” Pezeshkian said.
