Slain Ayatollah Khamenei wanted to end conflict with US through peace talks, Iranian president claims
Slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei backed a diplomatic solution to the Islamic Republic’s years-long feud with the US, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed on Saturday.
Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly even more extreme than his 86-year-old father, who was killed Feb. 28 in joint US-Israeli strikes. The two sides remain locked in a bitter standoff with little progress.
“I was with the martyred Supreme Leader, and he publicly announced in his speeches that we must get out of this situation of neither war nor peace,” Pezeshkian said.
“With strength, but with logic, we can sit down and resolve our problems,” he added, according to Iran International.
Pezeshkian has continued defending diplomacy, with US-Iran negotiations on life support since their 60-day temporary cease-fire expired Monday without a peace deal. His position has been unpopular within the regime, with critics accusing him of capitulation for saying Tehran should negotiate from a “position of strength” as Washington prepares new crippling sanctions next week that could further damage Iran’s economy.
“It is better that we bring the war to an end now as we are in a position of power and dignity,” Pezeshkian said Friday.
Iranian lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian pushed back Saturday on X: “What do you mean when you say we should end the war now? Did we start the war?”
“Should we beg [Donald] Trump and [Benjamin] Netanyahu to end the war and not attack us? Wouldn’t sending a signal of weakness make the enemy bolder?”
