Iran ready for war with Israel, will not halt nuclear programme: Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Tehran is fully prepared to face any future Israeli military action, reaffirming the country’s determination to continue its nuclear programme, which he insists remains solely for peaceful purposes.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Wednesday—one of his first since last month’s 12-day war with Israel—Pezeshkian dismissed hopes that the recently brokered ceasefire would hold, saying Tehran is bracing for “any possible scenario.”
“We are not banking on this ceasefire. We are prepared for any new Israeli military move, and our armed forces stand ready to strike deep inside Israel again if provoked,” Pezeshkian said.
The president’s comments come amid heightened tensions after U.S.-backed Israeli strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and assassinated key military commanders and nuclear scientists. Western intelligence reports suggest the strikes inflicted less damage than initially claimed by Washington, leaving Iran’s core nuclear infrastructure largely intact.
“Israel attempted to dismantle our strategic hierarchy, eliminate key figures, and cripple our nuclear programme, but it has completely failed to achieve its objectives,” Pezeshkian said. “Yes, they hurt us, but we also struck deep into their territory, causing losses they are not publicly admitting.”
The 12-day war, which ended on June 24 following intense mediation, claimed over 900 lives in Iran—many of them civilians—while at least 28 people were killed in Israel.
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