TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has vowed that Iran will never surrender to external pressure or compromise its national dignity in pursuit of comfort or political expediency.

Pezeshkian said Iran’s adversaries, having failed to bring the country “to its knees within three days,” are now attempting to sow division between the Iranian people and the statesmen.

“We will not bow. I will never bow before any power,” he declared. “We will not sacrifice the country’s dignity for the sake of comfort-seeking or worldly interests. At the same time, the country must be governed with prudence and wisdom.”

He further condemned 'the unjust killing of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ali Khamenei,' saying such actions lacked any scientific, legal, or humanitarian justification.

Pezeshkian also accused Iran’s enemies of targeting Iranian commanders, ministers, scientists, and innocent students, while criticizing self-proclaimed defenders of human rights and international law for remaining silent in the face of such actions.

“Those who claim to uphold human rights and international law witnessed these crimes and merely stood by,” he said.

Referring to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Pezeshkian added: “Look at Gaza and Palestine — see the atrocities being committed there.”

He also criticized American media narratives surrounding the conflict, saying, “They justify these actions by claiming self-defense. They call genocide self-defense. They possess power and force, and they use them accordingly.”

On February 28, the United States and Israel initiated an unprovoked war against Iran with the assassination of the Ayatollah Khamenei and several high-ranking military commanders.

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces carried out 100 waves of counterattacks over 40 days, targeting US and Israeli military assets, which resulted in significant damage.

A Pakistani-mediated two-week ceasefire was brokered on April 8, where the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran without an agreement, citing deep mistrust regarding Washington’s willingness to honor its commitments.

Iran has made clear that any return to ceasefire negotiations depends on the lifting of the US naval blockade. Officials have said that the continued blockade constitutes a violation of the truce.