Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic, said on Monday, August 3, 2026, that Iran does not seek to escalate tensions or insecurity in the region but will act “with all its power” to defend the country’s security, national interests, and territorial integrity.
Speaking at the launch event for Phase Two of the National Family Medicine Program, Pezeshkian referred to what he described as “enemies’ efforts” to disrupt Iran’s progress. He emphasised that while seeking to avoid an escalation of regional tensions, the Islamic Republic would defend its interests against any threat.
He also stressed the importance of “increasing national resilience,” claiming that this “public resilience” against what he termed “external threats,” alongside “strengthening social capital” and “maintaining internal cohesion,” represents one of the most critical components of the Islamic Republic’s power.
In another part of his speech, the president highlighted Iran’s human and scientific capabilities, stating that the country lacks nothing compared with advanced nations in terms of its specialised workforce, elites, and scientific infrastructure, and that these capacities must be used to advance national programmes.
