Iran President Pezeshkian says nation is locked in ‘total war’ with the West

TEHRAN: Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that his country is facing what he described as a ‘total war’ against the United States, Israel and European powers, saying the pressure on Tehran is unprecedented in scope and intensity.

Iranian state media reported President Pezeshkian as saying that the Western nations are attempting to weaken Iran on multiple fronts, accusing them of trying to force the country into submission. He argued that the current confrontation goes far beyond a conventional military standoff.

“This is a total war… They want to bring Iran to its knees,” Pezeshkian said.

The Iranian leader compared today’s tensions to the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s but said the present situation is far more complicated. Unlike the earlier conflict, which involved clear battle lines and direct missile exchanges, Pezeshkian said Iran is now under constant pressure economically, politically, culturally and in terms of national security.

“In the war with Iraq, we knew where the attacks were coming from and how to respond,” he said. “Today, the siege is coming from every direction.”

Despite the mounting strain, Pezeshkian insisted Iran’s military capabilities have grown stronger, particularly following the brief but intense clash with Israel earlier this year. He claimed Iran’s armed forces are better prepared now, both in manpower and equipment, and warned that any future attack would be met with a stronger response.

Tensions across the region remain elevated following June’s air conflict, which began with Israeli strikes and quickly escalated. Iranian officials say the fighting resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people in Iran, including senior military figures and nuclear scientists. Iranian missile strikes in retaliation killed dozens in Israel.

The interview with Pezeshkian was released ahead of a scheduled meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, set to take place next week in Florida, according to regional reports.

The crisis deepened further on June 22, when President Trump announced that US forces had carried out strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities, including sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. At the time, Trump said the operation was aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment program and neutralizing what he described as a major security threat.

While Washington characterised the strikes as a decisive success, Iran has continued to downplay the long-term impact, even as officials warn that the confrontation with Western powers is entering a more dangerous and complex phase.