President Masoud Pezeshkian says that Tehran would not bow to pressure or aggression, warning that the country would deliver a “crushing response” to any future attack.
Addressing a meeting of the Islamic Association of Iranian Medical Society in Tehran on Friday, Pezeshkian described the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as an “honorable and valuable” outcome of negotiations, rejecting suggestions that Tehran had surrendered or made significant concessions.
“They cannot find even a single clause in this agreement that indicates surrender; all the commitments are related to the other side,” he said.
But he stressed that the agreement did not mean Iran would submit if the United States or its allies launched another attack.
“Of course, none of this means that if they want to attack us, we will surrender. These are two separate issues,” Pezeshkian said.
“We will under no circumstances bow to bullying, and there is no doubt about that. We will stand against them until our last breath and give them a crushing response,” he added.
Pezeshkian said the agreement represented a “major achievement” that had been approved by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, with members directly involved in the negotiations firmly defending its terms.
The remarks come following wars of aggression launched by the US and the Israeli regime against Iran in 2025 and 2026. Iran responded to the unprovoked attacks by launching precision strikes against US and Israeli military assets across the region, inflicting heavy damage on adversaries.
Iran and the United States signed the 14-point memorandum of understanding on June 18 under Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The MoU was meant to provide for an end to the war and a 60-day period of negotiations aimed at reaching a final settlement. However, US violations of its commitments led to the collapse of the understanding just days following its signing, sparking another round of war which lasted for more than two weeks in July.
Meanwhile, Pezeshkian said that the war should eventually end, adding the current circumstances offered Iran an opportunity to do so from a position of strength.
“It is better to end the war today, when we are in a position of power and dignity, when the whole world acknowledges our victory and admits that the US has attacked our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, in violation of all laws,” he said.
Iranian military commanders and armed forces, he said, remained fully prepared to defend the country, while emphasizing the importance of preserving unity at home.
