TEHRAN(National Times)- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the United States because Tehran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Talks between the decades-old foes remain on hold, with both sides in the war started by the US and Israel in February locked in a stalemate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tehran is keeping the key Strait of Hormuz partially shut and Washington is persisting with a naval counter-blockade of Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is better that we bring the war to an end now as we are in a position of power and dignity,\u201d Pezeshkian said in a meeting with doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasises that America has attacked our schools, hospitals and infrastructure in violation of all regulations and is hated around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pezeshkian also defended a memorandum of understanding agreed with the US in June aimed at ending the war, claiming it did not signal a defeat for Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey cannot find even a single clause in this agreement that indicates capitulation. All the commitments concern the other side,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His remarks come weeks after Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he had approved the deal to end the war despite having \u201cdifferent views\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hardline lawmakers in Iran\u2019s parliament have also criticised the government over the deal, accusing it of giving concessions to the US, mostly over the re-opening of the strategic Hormuz Strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to reports in US media, the American navy has been organising and protecting secret convoys of tankers through the southern sector of the Strait of Hormuz enabling between five and 10 million barrels a day of oil to be exported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Tehran claimed to be in the stronger position, the US has said it would ramp up sanctions to heap pressure on Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The American plan drew condemnation from Iran\u2019s foreign ministry, which accused the US of \u201ceconomic terrorism\u201d and \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe perpetrators and instigators of these sanctions are deserving of trial and punishment for committing such heinous crimes,\u201d it said in a statement carried by state media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday vowed Washington would \u201ccollapse\u201d the Iranian regime with its threatened campaign nearly six months since their war began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The comments underscored how the Trump administration is shifting to economic rather than military pressure on Tehran as the US president\u2019s unpopular war drags on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China also criticised Washington\u2019s economic plan, saying that US \u201csanctions and pressure\u201d would not resolve the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Economic D-Day\u2019
Washington had urged other governments including Beijing to join efforts to isolate the Iranian economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked about US President Donald Trump\u2019s threats, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Friday that \u201csanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChina calls on all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit the White House on September 24, when the topic of Iran is sure to come up, as it did when Trump travelled to Beijing for a summit in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bessent said the plan to ramp up economic sanctions against Iran meant Washington was less likely to have to return to heavy military operations against the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The US Treasury chief said he would give further details of the economic measures against Iran during a press conference on Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other senior Iranian officials also criticised the US sanctions plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe so-called \u2018Economic D-Day\u2019 is a diversion from America\u2019s own crisis: unprecedented debt and surging interest costs,\u201d Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEHRAN(National Times)- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the United States because Tehran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington. Talks between the decades-old foes remain on hold, with both sides in the war started by the US and Israel in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-131634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n