Pezeshkian says Iran seeks to complete ‘battlefield victory’ through diplomacy

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Tehran’s “rational and logical” choice was to turn its military gains into diplomatic success, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

Speaking during a meeting with senior officers of Iran’s Law Enforcement Force (FARAJA), Pezeshkian said that the country faced three possible paths after the conflict: negotiations from a position of strength, remaining in a state of “neither war nor peace”, or continued confrontation.

“The rational and logical preference, grounded in national interest, is for the victory secured by the Armed Forces on the battlefield to be completed in the diplomatic arena, with the rights of the Iranian people established from a position of dignity and authority,” Pezeshkian said, according to Mehr.

The Iranian president said that Tehran viewed diplomacy as possible while maintaining distrust toward its adversaries.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran, on this same basis, while maintaining distrust of the enemy, considers negotiations possible — from a position of dignity, wisdom, and expediency,” he said.

Pezeshkian said that Iran would honour any agreement reached in line with the guidance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the interests of the Iranian people.

According to Mehr, Pezeshkian also referred to the teachings of Imam Ali from Nahj al-Balaghah , saying Iran should not reject peace if offered by an adversary, but should also avoid trusting the enemy after peace is achieved.