Iranian Pres.: We never sought war, nor did we start it

TEHRAN, June 16 (KUNA) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Monday that his country has neither sought war nor initiated it, commenting on the ongoing military exchanges with the Israeli occupation.
In a speech delivered inside the parliament while defending his nominee for the economy portfolio, Pezeshkian said that his country has not sought war nor initiated it, stressing the occupation are the ones who have assassinated Iran's leaders and scientists." He called on his people for unity and resilience in the face of the criminal aggression targeting their country," adding that "the enemy cannot eliminate us or our nation through strikes, killings, and assassinations." He also affirmed that his country is not pursuing nuclear weapons based on its "firm principles and the Supreme Leader's policies on the matter," stressing Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, saying, "No one has the right to deprive us of this right." Since early Friday, Tehran and other Iranian cities have faced a large-scale attack by Israeli aggression forces, prompting Iran to retaliate with a major missiles strike on the occupied territories. (end) mw.ahm