Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that his country is engaged in "total war" with the United States, Israel, and Europe, accusing them of trying to bring the Islamic Republic “to its knees.”
"In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees," Pezeshkian told the official website of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as quoted by AFP.
The remarks were published Saturday, six months after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets.
France, Britain, and Germany were behind the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September, citing violations connected to Tehran’s nuclear program.
"This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq. On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult," Pezeshkian added, referencing the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.
Western powers and Israel accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran, first implemented during his previous term. The policy includes expanded sanctions aimed at crippling Iran’s economy and cutting off its oil revenues on global markets.
Pezeshkian’s comments follow an NBC News report last week, which stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to discuss Iran’s ballistic missile buildup and the possibility of another Israeli strike against Iran in 2026 during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday.
According to Israeli intelligence, Iran appears to be rebuilding its missile forces with greater determination than at any time since the 12-day war in June. Israeli officials said that after the war, Iran’s missile stockpiles dropped from 3,000 to around 1,500, while its number of launchers fell from 400 to 200.
Later, Iran International reported that Western intelligence sources had identified “unusual aerial activity” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force.
Last Sunday, Axios reported that Israeli officials have warned the Trump administration that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) missile exercise could be preparations for an attack on Israel.