No enmity towards Americans: Iran's Pezeshkian in letter to US public amid war
Iran's President Pezeshkian says Tehran holds no hostility towards ordinary Americans in an open letter, questioning US military actions and urging a rethink amid escalating tensions.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a rare direct appeal to the American public, saying Iran harbors “no enmity” toward ordinary Americans and rejecting portrayals of his country as a threat, according to Press TV.
In an open letter addressed to people in the United States, Pezeshkian sought to draw a clear line between governments and citizens. “The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America,” he wrote, calling it a deeply rooted principle rather than a political stance.
The development comes hours before US President Donald Trump's scheduled address to the nation, outlining the US's next course of action in the Iran conflict.
Pezeshkian pushed back strongly against Western narratives about Iran, saying portraying the country as a threat is “neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts.”
QUESTIONS US WAR RATIONALE
Pezeshkian used the letter to question the basis of ongoing US military action, asking: “Was there any objective threat from Iran to justify such behaviour?”
He pointed to civilian suffering and damage to critical infrastructure, adding: “Does the massacre of innocent children or boasting about bombing a country ‘back to the stone ages’ serve any purpose other than further damaging the United States’ global standing?”
The Iranian president also suggested Washington was acting under external influence, asking whether the US had entered the conflict “as a proxy for Israel.”
HISTORICAL GRIEVANCES AND DISTRUST
The letter traces Iran’s distrust of the United States to a series of historical events, including the 1953 coup, decades of sanctions, and past military confrontations.
“The turning point was the intervention aimed at preventing the nationalisation of Iran’s own resources,” he wrote, adding that subsequent policies deepened mistrust among Iranians.
Despite this, Pezeshkian insisted Iran has not pursued aggression. “Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression,” he said, adding that the country has only defended itself when attacked.
APPEAL FOR ENGAGEMENT OVER CONFLICT
Pezeshkian framed the current moment as a turning point, warning of the long-term costs of continued confrontation.
“Today, the world stands at a crossroads. Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before,” he wrote, urging Americans to question prevailing narratives and seek engagement over escalation.
He also highlighted Iran’s development despite sanctions, pointing to gains in education, technology and healthcare as “measurable, observable realities” that contradict negative portrayals.
DIRECT MESSAGE TO AMERICANS
Closing his appeal, Pezeshkian urged Americans to look beyond what he described as misinformation and engage with a broader understanding of Iran and its people.
“Do these realities align with the distortions you are being told about Iran and its people?” he asked.
The letter comes at a time of heightened tensions, as both sides exchange sharp rhetoric even as diplomatic openings remain uncertain.