'Iran should end war now': What triggered prez Pezeshkian's surprise declaration

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged an immediate conclusion to the ongoing conflict with the United States, asserting that Tehran should capitalize on its current position of "power and dignity" while the world acknowledges what he termed Iran's victory. Addressing a gathering on Friday, Pezeshkian praised a recent accord reached with Washington, labeling it a "major achievement" endorsed by Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

He dismissed concerns that Iran had been coerced into conceding, emphasizing that the agreement was "honorable and valuable", with no clauses signifying surrender. Pezeshkian stressed that the decision to end the war would not equate to submission if Tehran faced aggression again, vowing to resist any such aggression until the very end.

The remarks come as the war enters its sixth month and the Trump administration ramps up economic sanctions against Iran, threatening secondary penalties to countries and entities engaging in trade with Tehran. China and India, significant consumers of Iranian oil, could also face repercussions under the campaign, as Washington seeks to diminish Iran's revenue streams.

Iran's foreign policy apparatus has rejected the strategy, arguing that years of sanctions have not compelled Tehran to concede. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed the US's continual recourse to sanctions as ineffective, while analysts cautioned that heightened economic pressure might instead bolster Iran's resolve.

Pezeshkian's previous statements indicated that negotiations with Washington aimed to halt the war, lift the naval blockade, and liberate frozen Iranian assets before restarting nuclear talks. His latest assertions imply Tehran seeks to portray any cessation of hostilities as a negotiated settlement, rather than a defeat.