Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an open letter addressed to people of the United States’ declared that Iran harbours “no enmity” toward ordinary Americans and cautioned that sustained confrontation between Tehran and Washington is “more costly and futile than ever before.”
According to Press TV, Pezeshkian dismissed portrayals of Iran as a threat, stating they are “neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts.” He called for rethinking entrenched views driving tensions between the two countries.
The letter was released hours ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned “important update” on the Iran conflict. Trump had posted earlier on social media that Iran sought a ceasefire, though Tehran offered no instant verification.
In a conciliatory vein, Pezeshkian stressed Iranians’ distinction between leaders and publics: “The Iranian people harbour no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America.” He attributed animosity to policy choices, not grassroots views.
While avoiding concrete diplomatic proposals, the president highlighted a pivotal global “crossroads” where confrontation’s burdens surpass rewards.
Pezeshkian traced discord to the 1953 coup d’état, labeling it a rupture in Iran’s democratic path that sparked enduring suspicion of US actions. He pointed to later episodes — US backing of the Shah, support for Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq War, and enduring sanctions — as measures which amplified governmental friction.
On defense, he framed Iran’s stance as reactive amid “a significant U.S. military presence around the country.” Iran, he insisted, “has not initiated wars in modern history” and responds with “a measured response grounded in legitimate self-defense.”
He decried strikes on Iranian energy and industrial targets, warning they breed instability and civilian suffering, potentially dragging out regional unrest.
Pezeshkian questioned US motives, implying Israeli sway and gains in “military dominance and influencing global markets.” He encouraged Americans to “look beyond the machinery of misinformation” and value Iranian diaspora successes in academia and technology.
The letter on a stark note: “The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come.”
