Overview
- President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered extended televised addresses from Aug. 5 to Aug. 7 that defended his government’s handling of recent shocks and denied reports he planned to resign.
- He credited national unity for preventing destabilization during a period of intense sanctions, a 12-day conflict, energy shortfalls and the country’s worst drought in decades.
- Pezeshkian said Tehran is open to dialogue with the United States and European countries but insisted talks must not force Iran to cede sovereignty or dismantle its defense forces.
- He defended the leadership transition after the Feb. 28 attack that he said killed the previous Supreme Leader, praised the new Leader, and said major decisions were coordinated with the armed forces.
- The president warned that sanctions have broadened to hit Iran’s banking and finance sectors and that scientific institutions and researchers have been targeted, and he called for preserving social stability and public services.