Iran to continue resistance until ‘aggressors’ regret: Pezeshkian

Tehran: Iran will continue its resistance with strength until the "aggressors" are brought to complete regret, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday, while reiterating Tehran's opposition to war.

In a post on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said Iran had always opposed war and believed that protecting people's interests and ensuring security in the West Asia region required avoiding warmongering, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been opposed to war and considered the preservation of the people's interests and ensuring the (West Asia) region's security to lie in refraining from warmongering," Pezeshkian said.

"However, just as it has courageously risen to defend against aggression up to this day, Iran will continue this resistance with strength until the aggressors are brought to complete regret, and will remain the guardian of the rights of the great Iranian people," he added.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy in Cairo on Monday to discuss regional security tensions and disruptions to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The two sides reviewed the potential economic impact of disruptions to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz on Arab countries, particularly Iraq, and emphasised the strait's importance to global trade and energy supplies, the statement said.

Hussein stressed the importance of opening communication channels to de-escalate tensions between Tehran and Washington, adding that the Arab League could play a positive role.

Fahmy highlighted the importance of quiet diplomacy and dialogue in addressing crises and expressed readiness to support efforts to reduce regional tensions, the statement said.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the regular ministerial-level session of the Arab League Council.

On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases and assets in the region, while tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran also restricted shipping passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while US forces imposed a naval blockade targeting vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region. Under the MoU, the two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on August 17, to reach a final agreement.

However, the fate of the talks remains unclear following recent escalations between the two countries.

With IANS inputs