President Pezeshkian Warns Against Escalation Following Israeli Aggression

Tehran, The Gulf Observer: President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, has cautioned that failure to respond to the Israeli regime’s recent military aggression could have triggered an uncontrollable regional war. His remarks were delivered via videoconference during the Fourth Eurasian Economic Forum held in Minsk, Belarus on Friday.

Referring to Israel’s air strikes on Iranian territory, President Pezeshkian stated that the Iranian Armed Forces exercised their legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter in issuing a measured and lawful military response.

“Had the Israeli regime’s aggression gone unanswered, it could have led to a full-scale war with consequences beyond imagination,” Pezeshkian stressed.

He condemned the attack—which occurred amid indirect U.S.-Iran talks on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program—as a flagrant violation of international law. “The coordinated aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran’s nuclear facilities, which operate under full oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), represents a grave breach of all internationally recognized norms,” he said.

President Pezeshkian further asserted that the military strikes have dealt “an irreparable blow to the credibility of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, particularly when committed by a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”

He called on the international community—especially the UN Security Council and the IAEA—to adopt a more responsible and decisive stance toward aggression and the destabilizing behavior of those fueling regional conflict.

“The era of appeasement toward the Israeli regime, which consistently violates human rights and international law, must come to an end,” Pezeshkian urged, extending gratitude to those nations that condemned the Israeli attack on Iranian soil.

Emphasis on Regional Economic Cooperation

In his address, President Pezeshkian also underscored the importance of enhanced regional cooperation, particularly through the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). He expressed confidence that the agreement will serve as a strong foundation for advancing economic integration among regional partners.

Background on the Recent Conflict

On June 13, Israel launched a surprise military assault on Iranian territory, targeting nuclear, military, and civilian infrastructure. The attack resulted in the deaths of over 600 individuals, including senior military commanders, scientists, and civilians.

In response, Iran initiated Operation True Promise III, led by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, which launched 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes causing significant damage across occupied territories.

President Pezeshkian’s remarks signal Iran’s firm position on national sovereignty, the necessity of international legal frameworks, and the pursuit of regional peace through lawful and multilateral mechanisms.