AhlulBayt News Agency: In a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian firmly asserted Iran’s right to defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of what he described as U.S. and Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.
According to IRNA, Pezeshkian condemned the recent U.S. attack on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, calling it illegal under international law—especially since, as he noted, it occurred during a period of diplomatic negotiations and not active conflict. “Targeting a country’s nuclear sites, even in wartime, is unlawful. But these strikes came while we were pursuing diplomacy,” he said.
He warned of a dangerous new precedent: a country conducting peaceful nuclear activities under the strict supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) becoming the direct target of military aggression by the United States and Israel.
Such conduct, Pezeshkian argued, exposes the hypocrisy behind U.S. claims of advocating peace, democracy, human rights, and respect for international norms—reducing them to mere slogans used to manipulate global public opinion.
The Iranian president further accused Israel of carrying out widespread atrocities in the region, referencing its actions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and now Iran. “What we’ve seen is the relentless killing of civilians, women, and children,” he said, questioning the Western media’s portrayal of these operations as acts of self-defense.
According to Pezeshkian, the aggression against Iran began with full backing from the U.S. and certain European nations, all of whom, he claimed, sought to block Iran’s legitimate right to peaceful nuclear development—yet failed in their goal.
He also dismissed longstanding Western allegations about Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons as “a great and historic lie.” He emphasized that such weapons have no place in Iran’s defense doctrine, pointing to a religious decree (fatwa) by Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei forbidding their development and use on ethical and religious grounds.
Labeling Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel as “a legitimate act of self-defense,” Pezeshkian underlined that Iran has never initiated war and remains committed to peace and regional stability. However, he criticized the global order for lacking effective enforcement mechanisms to safeguard nations’ rights against unprovoked aggression.
He closed the conversation by emphasizing Iran’s intent to deepen economic, political, and strategic ties with India—particularly through multilateral alliances like BRICS.
Prime Minister Modi, in response, expressed grave concern about the deteriorating security situation and called for an immediate ceasefire. He stressed that all disputes should be resolved through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy, reaffirming India’s longstanding friendship with Iran and its commitment to strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation.
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