Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran on Thursday from the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, where he had discussed the illegal U.S.-Israeli war of aggression against his country with at least two presidents: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye. “The Israeli regime has played the role of a firestarter in this crisis and, by deceiving Trump, has pushed him toward war,” Pezeshkian told Lula, reported IRNA. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is not responsible for the current situation in the region. For what purpose and on what basis has the United States entered this region and imposed a naval blockade?”
Pezeshkian said the era of unilateralism has come to an end, stressing that no country can impose its preferred order on others through force and coercion. He stressed that Iran has never sought and is not seeking nuclear weapons, adding that Washington miscalculated Iran’s capabilities and strength by comparing the country with others. “War is in no one’s interest, but the Islamic Republic of Iran will not surrender in the face of oppression and aggression and will deliver a firm response to any attack,” Pezeshkian stated.
According to IRNA, President Lula wholeheartedly agreed, condemning the U.S. military aggression against Iran, saying Brazil had never imagined that Washington would attack the Islamic Republic. “The bombing of Iran was carried out under false pretexts, and this was a very difficult and bitter development for us,” Lula said. He expressed Brazil’s solidarity with Iran, noting that the war has also caused serious economic difficulties for countries around the world, including Brazil, through rising gas, gasoline, and oil prices. Lula said Brazil is prepared to take the necessary steps to help restore peace and stability in the region and offered to facilitate efforts toward that goal. Both Brazil and Iran are full members of the BRICS.
Pezeshkian also met with Türkiye’s President Erdoğan, who afterwards urged an “immediate end” to the war between Iran and the United States, calling for diplomacy to resume without further delay. During the meeting, Erdoğan stressed the importance of returning to the negotiating table and said Türkiye would continue supporting efforts to secure peace, reported TRT World.
“Common ground for agreement must be strengthened and diplomacy given a chance,” he said, expressing hope that the conflict would end as soon as possible. Erdoğan also offered continued support for peace initiatives alongside regional countries, emphasising the need for stability.
