By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said it was up to the United States to choose when the Iran war will end, when asked if the conflict could end by the end of the year.
• “But we do not wish to continue. It’s America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not,” Pezeshkian said, responding to the question in an interview aired on Thursday on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” show.
• Iran’s president told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday Tehran would never surrender to US pressure as the two sides have remained far apart on how to end the war.
• US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he could “annihilate” Iran if there is no deal to end the war, but also suggested an agreement could come soon.
• Trump has offered shifting goals and timelines for the war that began on February 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran and Tehran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases.
• US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.
• Trump has cited weakening Iran’s nuclear capabilities as one of his war objectives.
• Iran, which does not have nuclear weapons, denies seeking them. The US is nuclear-armed.
• Tehran says it has the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes as a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.)