Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pushed back Friday against mounting criticism of Tehran's June memorandum with Washington, accusing its domestic opponents of adopting Israel's narrative and rejecting speculation that he could step down.
According to his office, the president defended the agreement that called for ending war on all fronts, opening the Strait of Hormuz and holding further negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program, saying those who describe it as a failure are repeating Israel’s narrative.
"We will firmly defend what we have written as a memorandum of understanding,” he said Thursday in an address to the nation. "Those who want to label it a failure are being unfair, and this is exactly what Israel wants. Knowingly or unknowingly, they are conveying Israel’s message.”
Pezeshkian said Iran had not compromised in any provision of the memorandum, challenging critics to identify a single clause in which Tehran had "backed down.”
"Why should we constantly say we must fight? That is exactly what Israel wants. Israel wants the war to continue,” he said.
