According to a report by Al-Jazeera on Sunday, April 19, 2026, President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran has said that his country is not seeking confrontation but is acting in self-defence as regional tensions remain high after recent US-Israeli clashes.
According to Pezeshkian, who spoke in statements reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), Iran is taking defensive measures driven by its dedication to peace and stability in the region. He reiterated that Iran’s leadership has no plans to launch attacks on any nation.
Defending ourselves properly is our only concern, and we have no intention of attacking any party or country at this time, he reportedly said.
The president of Iran has denied reports that his country is actively pursuing regional confrontation or escalation. As a counter to foreign aggression, he painted Iran as a “peace-loving” country.
A proclamation that Iran is not actively pursuing war was made by Pezeshkian. Contrary to popular belief, we are peaceful people engaging in lawful self-defence. A nation will defend itself against an attack in the same way that any individual would in response to hostility.
Some civilian infrastructure, according to Pezeshkian, has been targeted by recent measures by both Washington and Tel Aviv. These include facilities that should be protected under international law. According to him, there are hypocrisies in international debates about human rights and the rules of war when it comes to these kinds of operations.
Officials in Iran have long justified their military stance as defensive, claiming that their enemies are plotting to undermine the regime in some way. According to the administration, deterrence and safeguarding national sovereignty are the goals of its regional actions.
