No enmity towards Americans: Pezeshkian in open letter to US

Tehran: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Iranian people harbour no enmity towards the American people, accusing the US administration of fighting Iran as a “proxy for Israel”.

He made the remarks in a letter addressed to the Ameri­can people, elaborating on Iran’s position on the war, reports Xinhua. “The Iranian people harbour no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighbours,” Pezeshki­an said, adding, “Even in the face of repeated foreign interventions and pressures throu­gh­out their proud history, Iranians have consistently drawn a clear distinction between governments and the peoples they govern.”

Pezeshkian said Iran “has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination” despite having suffered occupation, invasion, and pressure by global powers. He said casting Iran as a threat is a narrative manufactured by Israel “to divert global attention away from its crimes towards the Palestinians”. He said attacking the country's vital infrastructure directly targets the Iranian people, emphasising that such actions constitute “war crimes” and involve consequences extending beyond Iran’s borders.

Pezeshkian said the US has entered the war with Iran as a “proxy for Israel” and under its influence, adding Israel seeks to fight Iran “to the last American soldier and the last American taxpayer dollar” in pursuit of its “illegitimate interests”. “Is 'America First' truly among the priorities of the US government today?” he asked. 

Meanwhile, Iran’s army chief warned should the US military land in the Islamic Republic, “not a single person” will survive among the invaders. Major General Amir Hatami said, “The shadow of war must be lifted from our country and there must be security for everyone, because it is not possible for places to be safe and our people to be unsafe.” 

Lt Col Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for the Iranian military’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquar­ters, said, “The centres you think you have targeted are insignificant. Our strategic military productions take place in locations of which you have no knowledge.”

‘7 MN READY TO FIGHT US’

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, discussed as a possible negotiating partner with the US, said on X, “Right now, in less than a week, a powerful national campaign sweeping the country has brought forward around seven million Iranians who have already stepped up and declared they're ready to pick up arms and stand in defence of our nation.”