"Must get out of 'neither war nor peace' policy": Iranian President Pezeshkian says late Khamenei backed talks
Tehran, June 10
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday said that Iran must move beyond a prolonged state of "neither war nor peace", revealing that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had allowed negotiations and dialogue to continue as a means of resolving the situation, as per the Iranian news agency ISNA.
As reported by ISNA, speaking at the third "Amin Iran" ceremony at Tehran's Vahdat Hall in memory of the "martyred leader", Pezeshkian stressed that military confrontation was not in Iran's interest but insisted the country would not yield to external pressure.
"We must get out of the 'neither war nor peace' policy. War is definitely not in the country's interest, but if they attack our land and territory, we will definitely not surrender and will not back down," he said.
The president recounted his regular meetings with the late Supreme Leader during his presidency and said the late Khamenei repeatedly emphasised the need to resolve the impasse between conflict and diplomacy.
"The martyred Leader repeatedly stated that the situation of 'neither war nor peace' must be resolved," Pezeshkian said.
Describing internal discussions over diplomacy, he said that despite public messaging rejecting negotiations, he argued that dialogue was necessary if the government sought to break the deadlock.
"Sometimes the IRIB would broadcast a message from the president that 'we will not negotiate'. At that time, I would tell his servants what the government should do if it wanted to resolve the issue of 'neither war nor peace'? If we don't negotiate, what should we do?" he said.
"And it was based on this that the martyred Leader permitted the continuation of negotiations and dialogues," he added.
According to Pezeshkian, Khamenei's most recent guidance on the matter was clear. "In the latest developments, it was 'go and resolve the issue'.
The Iranian president also highlighted the importance of national unity, arguing that Iran's adversaries were seeking to exploit domestic divisions. "The enemy has designed and implemented all of its plans based on disrupting internal unity and cohesion," he said.
Pezeshkian argued that military force alone could not compel a nation to surrender, pointing to ongoing regional conflicts.
"It is impossible to force a country to surrender with aeroplanes and bombing," he said. He added, "They were unable to force Gaza, even as small as it is, to surrender after three years, and they will not be able to force Iran to surrender. Iran is definitely not surrenderable."
The president recalled one of his meetings with Khamenei during the recent conflict, saying that after a gathering in the Dokuhe Mountains was targeted, the Supreme Leader delayed his own schedule while waiting for officials to arrive safely.
"During the 12-day war, when our meeting in the Dokuhe Mountains was bombed, we were delayed in reaching him, but he waited until near sunset to see us and was worried that something had happened to us," he said.
Pezeshkian also praised the role of Iranian women during what he described as the past 100 days, saying their actions had confounded expectations among Iran's enemies.
"Our sisters have become a thorn in the enemies' eyes in these 100 days and created scenes that would not have crossed the mind of any political analyst analysing Iran," he said.
He added, "They thought that with their actions they would overthrow our revolution and then implement their sinister intentions in Iran. But all the enemy's imaginations were shattered by the active and continuous presence of women."
Calling for cooperation across political, social and ethnic lines, Pezeshkian said unity required compromise rather than conformity. "National unity and cohesion means that I will give up some of my demands and you will give up some of yours so that we do not raise differences in any form for the time being," he said.
The president also appealed for public support in addressing the country's challenges.
"We want a dignified, proud and free Iran," he said. He added, "Empathy and support will save the country from the current crisis. We must be able to save the country from troubles and problems by thinking together and supporting each other."
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's refreshing to hear a leader admit that 'neither war nor peace' is unsustainable. Iran has been stuck in that limbo for decades. But the key question remains: Can Pezeshkian actually deliver on this new direction given how entrenched the system is? Talk is cheap.
As an Indian watching this, I think Iran needs to look at how India managed its foreign policy - we've maintained strategic autonomy while engaging with everyone. But Iran's situation is more volatile with all the sanctions. Still, kudos to Pezeshkian for being honest about the internal contradictions. 👏
I appreciate Pezeshkian's call for national unity, but the reality is that Iran's domestic dissent is real - from women's protests to ethnic tensions. Saying the enemy is exploiting divisions is a convenient way to avoid addressing legitimate grievances. The 100 days of women's activism he praised? Those women were protesting the regime's policies, not just 'enemy plots'.
The 'neither war nor peace' policy sounds exhausting for ordinary Iranians. India has faced similar dilemmas with Pakistan, but at least we've had periods of active diplomacy. Pezeshkian's admission that Khamenei permitted negotiations is huge - it shows there might be a shift behind the scenes. Let's see if it translates to real change. 🤔
As someone who respects Iran's culture and history, I hope Pezeshkian succeeds. But his speech feels like it's caught between two narratives - wanting to project strength while admitting weakness. The line about Iran not being 'surrenderable' is typical rhetoric. Real change requires practical steps, not
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