Iran’s president admits nation has “suffered harm,” but says it remains “fully capable of defending” rights

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged Monday that the country had suffered amid the ongoing war with the U.S. and Israel, but he insisted the Islamic Republic was still “fully capable of defending our nation’s rights with strength.”

During a meeting with executive agencies under the guises of the Government Information Council, attended by a number of his cabinet members, Pezeshkian said Iranian leaders “should avoid any tone or voices that create division, but we must also face reality; It is not the case that we have not suffered harm.”

“Anyone in a position of leadership must speak honestly and transparently to their society and their people,” he said in remarks aired by state TV. “Misleading information, false messaging, or portraying a reality in which ‘they are collapsing while we are prospering’ is unacceptable. The truth is that both we and others face challenges.”

Pezeshkian insisted that while Iran would continue to engage in diplomacy, it “will not bow to pressure. … We will not sacrifice our country’s dignity and honor for comfort or convenience. We have valid reasons and clear justification, and we are fully capable of defending our nation’s rights with strength, backed by our people.”