In a recent interview published on the website of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian characterized the nation's current geopolitical situation as a "full-scale war" involving the United States, Israel, and European countries. He emphasized that these adversaries are intent on preventing Iran from achieving stability.
Pezeshkian contrasted the present conflict with the historic Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, stating that the ongoing hostilities are more complex and difficult. The Iran-Iraq war, which lasted from 1980 to 1988, resulted in over 1 million casualties across both sides.
This statement was made just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Donald Trump on Monday. The discussions are anticipated to focus heavily on Iran and the prevailing tensions in the region.
Recent months have witnessed significant military confrontations, including Israeli and US strikes targeting Iranian interests during a 12-day air conflict in June. These strikes reportedly resulted in approximately 1,100 Iranian deaths, including prominent military leaders and nuclear scientists. In response, Iran launched missile barrages that caused 28 fatalities in Israel.
Pezeshkian's comments underscore the heightened state of antagonism confronting Iran, framing the situation as an ongoing war with Western powers rather than isolated incidents of conflict.