Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva stated that Iran is not waging war but will continue defending itself, emphasizing that such defense will continue until hostilities fully cease and guarantees are secured to prevent future conflicts.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s World at One program, released on Friday, Ali Bahreini responded to a question about how long Iran intends to continue the conflict by saying the question should be directed at the United States.
It is the United States that started the war, he said, adding that Iran does not wage war and is acting in self-defense, and defense has no end point.
He emphasized that Iran will continue its defensive measures until the war is completely halted and assurances are in place to ensure it will not happen again in the future.
Addressing a question about Iran’s reported detention of vessels from countries not directly involved in the conflict with the United States and Israeli enemy, he said adversaries had used the Strait of Hormuz to supply military bases and pursue what he called illegitimate objectives in the region. As a result, he said, Iran has increased monitoring and oversight of ships passing through the strategic waterway.
The Iranian envoy also rejected claims of internal disputes or contradictions in Iran’s high-level strategy, insisting that no such divisions exist. Instead, he accused the United States of inconsistency, saying Washington alternates between calls for negotiations, launching wars, and issuing threats.
The contradiction lies in the positions and behavior of the United States, and Iran’s responses are calibrated to US actions, said Bahreini, arguing that this reflects strategic adaptation rather than inconsistency.
