‘Iran is engaged in a full-scale war’: President Masoud Pezeshkian as tensions escalate with US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday stated that his nation is at a “full-scale war” with the US as tensions in the Middle East escalate. Pezeshkian said that the war extends beyond the military strikes, warning that the citizens must accept the consequences the resistance will lead to. 

His statements came during an address of Iran’s Supreme Judicial Council. “The reality is that today the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaged in a full-scale war. Today’s war is not simply a war of missiles; the enemy has concluded that it cannot force the Iranian nation to surrender through military attacks,” Pezeshkian said.

Country’s economy, people’s livelihood main battleground: Pezeshkian

According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, the President said the country’s economy and people’s livelihoods had become the main battleground in its confrontation with its “enemies”. Paying tribute to those killed in the “recent imposed war”, Pezeshkian said their deaths placed a responsibility on the country’s leadership to continue advancing the “dignity, independence, and progress of Islamic Iran.”

“The enemies of this nation are trying with all their might to block our paths of progress and movement through various channels and prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from continuing its path with dignity, authority, and pride. They do not want an independent, powerful, and successful country to be formed in this region,” he said while referring to the nation’s domestic and external challenges.

“Therefore, we must confront the enemy’s conspiracies and simultaneously resolve our internal problems. Managing these complexities is undoubtedly not an easy task,” he added.

US expands bombing of Iran, Tehran retaliates

Meanwhile, the US conducted a new round of airstrikes on Iran early Monday, hitting a northwestern city, which is believed to be home to underground missile bases. Tehran responded with an attack targeting Bahrain, the home of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, and Kuwait.

The latest strikes underscore how the US and Iran have edged closer to a full-scale war. An interim deal reached last month to halt the fighting has effectively crumbled, while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has largely come to a standstill.

Both sides have struck civilian infrastructure relied upon by millions, further intensifying the conflict. The escalation has also driven up global oil prices. Benchmark Brent crude climbed above USD 90 a barrel on Monday, while average US gasoline prices rose to USD 4 a gallon, adding to financial pressure on Americans ahead of the midterm elections this fall.

The US military said the service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone. “We hit them very hard again tonight,” US President Donald Trump said. “And we did that in honour of” the soldiers who were killed, he added.

(With Agency Inputs)

ALSO READ | How Iran’s Jordan-based sources helped IRGC strike al-Azraq air base while war escalates in Mideast