Pezeshkian says Iran is in ‘full-scale war’ with US

TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is engaged in a “full-scale war” with the United States in which the economy and public livelihood have become the main battlefield.

Speaking at a session of the Supreme Judicial Council, Pezeshkian said the conflict extends well beyond missile strikes, according to IRNA.

He said Iran’s adversaries have concluded that military attacks alone cannot force the country into submission and are now targeting the economy and people’s daily lives instead.

Pezeshkian warned that if economic pressure fuels public discontent, it could weaken the social support his government has built among Iranians.

He called for unity, collective decision-making, and close coordination among all branches of government to manage the crisis, saying major decisions should have the backing of the entire governing system to avoid weakening both the administration and the establishment.

The president said justice remains the most fundamental pillar of any system of governance, arguing that the rule of law and the protection of people’s rights are essential to a government’s endurance.

He said addressing poverty, unemployment, and livelihood challenges is both a religious and governing duty, adding that officials cannot remain indifferent to the hardships faced by ordinary citizens.

Pezeshkian acknowledged rising prices but attributed them to prevailing economic conditions and externally imposed restrictions rather than government negligence.

The administration prevented shortages of essential goods even though the war coincided with Nowruz and the holy month of Ramadan, he said.

He said Iran defended its national interests throughout recent negotiations without compromising its principles or values. None of the 14 points in a memorandum of understanding with the United States involved concessions harmful to Iran and that the agreement’s provisions largely favored the Islamic Republic, he added.

Separately, Pezeshkian said Iran remains committed to defending its national interests despite the costs, citing a Quranic verse on trials of fear, hunger and loss as evidence that hardship is part of a divine test rewarding patience.

He said the country must be prepared to accept the consequences of its choices, noting that wartime conditions have made coordination among government bodies more difficult than in the past.

Referring to remarks by Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Pezeshkian said Iran’s current circumstances require managers capable of making timely decisions without fearing future penalties for bypassing routine administrative procedures.

He also said Iran’s system of governance requires a final decision-making authority, adding that the role belongs to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Pezeshkian described coordination among Iran’s three branches of government as unprecedented and thanked Mohseni-Ejei and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf for their cooperation with the administration.

He said his government has never operated along factional or party lines, adding that former presidential rivals Ghalibaf and Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani have supported the administration’s work since the election.

Pezeshkian said correcting structural inequalities in sectors including electricity, water, gas and public-sector pay systems remains a government priority, while acknowledging that comprehensive reforms will take time amid continuing external pressure and what he described as aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime.

He concluded by thanking judiciary officials for their work, describing the administration of justice as one of the heaviest responsibilities within the Islamic Republic’s system of governance.