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متتبع أزمة إيران-الخليج 2026
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strikeMay 16, 2026

Iran ‘remains committed to diplomacy,’ president tells pope

Summary

Iran “remains committed to diplomacy and peaceful solutions,” the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a message to Pope Leo XIV, Iranian state media reported on Saturday, Anadolu reports. Pezeshkian also expressed Tehran’s appreciation for the Catholic leader’s “moral and logical stance on the recent military aggressions against Iran,” according to the IRNA news agency. Iran targeted the goals of the US and Israel “within the framework of legitimate defense,” the president said, calling on the international community to “act responsibly against America’s illegal actions.” Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. In response, Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely.

Perspectives

Iranian Official

President Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's commitment to diplomacy and peaceful solutions while expressing appreciation for the Pope's stance against foreign military aggression targeting Iranian sovereignty. He stressed that Iran's precise strikes on US and Israeli targets constituted legitimate resistance and self-defense in response to their unlawful attacks, urging the international community to hold America accountable for violating international norms. Despite a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire, ongoing tensions underscore the need to resist external interference in the region.

Israeli

Iran faces an existential threat from Iran's regime and its proxy networks, whose missile strikes and Hormuz blockade necessitated the February 28 defensive operations by Israel and the US. Tehran’s rhetoric of “legitimate defense” masks its pattern of aggression, from direct attacks on Israeli soil to exploitation of ceasefires for rearmament. The April truce, extended by the US, remains fragile given Iran’s unbroken commitment to encircling Israel through proxies.

Neutral

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in a message to Pope Leo XIV that Iran remains committed to diplomacy, according to Iranian state media cited by Anadolu on Saturday. He expressed appreciation for the Pope’s position on recent military actions against Iran and described Tehran’s strikes on U.S. and Israeli targets as legitimate defense while urging international action against U.S. measures. Regional tensions escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, followed by Iranian retaliation and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz; a ceasefire mediated by Pakistan took effect on April 8 and was later extended indefinitely by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Western

US and Israeli forces conducted precision strikes against Iranian targets on February 28 to neutralize threats from Tehran's nuclear program, missile capabilities, and proxy networks. In response, Iran escalated by launching attacks on Israel and Gulf allies while closing the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a US-brokered ceasefire extended indefinitely by President Trump despite failed talks in Islamabad. Iranian President Pezeshkian's claims of peaceful intent and "legitimate defense" mask ongoing efforts to challenge Western strategic interests in the region.

Pro-Peace

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated Tehran’s preference for diplomacy amid the civilian suffering caused by US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory actions, which have disrupted lives across the region and threatened vital supply lines like the Strait of Hormuz. Appeals to Pope Leo XIV and Pakistani-mediated talks that produced a fragile April ceasefire highlight how moral suasion and negotiation offer a path to spare further humanitarian costs, rather than indefinite military confrontation. Sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential to prevent prolonged hardship for ordinary people on all sides.

Global South

Iran’s President Pezeshkian stressed Tehran’s sovereign right to legitimate defense after US and Israeli strikes, framing the attacks as neo-colonial interference that bypassed international law. Iran’s measured retaliation and temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz exposed the repeated failure of Western-dominated institutions to restrain unilateral aggression. While Pakistani mediation produced a fragile ceasefire later extended by Washington, the breakdown of talks in Islamabad again illustrated how Global South efforts are sidelined by great-power interests.

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Sources

  • Marwa ABy Marwa A

    Iran “remains committed to diplomacy and peaceful solutions,” the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a message to Pope Leo XIV, Iranian state media reported on Saturday, Anadolu reports. Pezeshkian also expressed Tehran’s appreciation for the Catholic leader’s “moral a…

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