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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said for the first time that several countries have begun mediation efforts to end the war with the US and Israel, without identifying these countries, adding that any talks must address those who started the war.
Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and Oman have offered to mediate at some point since the US and Israel launched joint strikes last Saturday. Two days ago, Iran's foreign ministry said it was time for national defense, not diplomacy.
“Some countries have begun mediation efforts. Let us be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region, yet we do not hesitate to defend the dignity and sovereignty of our nation. Mediation should be directed at those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict ,” Pezeshkian said in a post on X.
The war began while Iran was engaged in talks with the US about its nuclear program. The US and Israeli air strikes last June also began while nuclear negotiations were underway.
Recent statements from the US and Israel have given no sign of a willingness to sit down at the table anytime soon. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, said late Thursday that firepower against Iran was set to "dramatically increase", while the Israel Defence Forces announced a new and intensified phase of the campaign on Friday morning.
At various points since the start of the war, Pezeshkian has said that it is too late for Iran to negotiate. In general, he has placed more emphasis on finding new leadership for Iran, with the aim of avoiding a complete regime change, which is the Israeli preference.
Pezeshkian's comments came as Iran's shrinking alliance of reformist groups said Tehran should appoint a supreme leader who would challenge US propaganda that Iran is a warmongering country and reduce internal polarization.
The Reform Front, which helped Pezeshkian become president 18 months ago, suggested that attacks on non-military US assets in the region were reducing global support for Iran as the victim of open aggression, according to comments cited in a report by the Iranian newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad.
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