Iran president says US, Israel, Europe waging ‘total war’ on country

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published on Saturday that the United States, Israel and Europe were waging “total war” against his country.

“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Pezeshkian told the official site of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, six months after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran.

France, Britain and Germany were behind the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September connected to its nuclear programme. “This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq. On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult,” he added, referring to the 1980-88 conflict between the neighbouring countries that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

The United States and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.

Sworn enemies Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day war in June, triggered by an unprecedented Israeli attack on Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as civilian areas.

The strikes resulted in more than 1,000 casualties, according to Iranian authorities. The United States later joined the operation, bombing three nuclear sites. Washington’s involvement brought a halt to negotiations that began in April with Tehran over its nuclear programme. Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has revived his so-called “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, initiated during his first term. That has included additional sanctions designed to economically cripple the country and dry up its oil revenues from sales on the global market.