The Islamic regime “no longer trusts talks with Washington,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Qatari state-funded broadcaster Al Jazeera on Saturday, according to Iran International.
Pezeshkian added that Iranians “stood firm in the face of American and Israeli attacks,” and added that they “will continue to stand firm.”
He further claimed that the United States and Israel sought to “prevent Iran from relying on itself,” with the two countries having “dragged” nations in the region into the conflict, believing Iran “would fall within days,” Iran International reported.
The Iranian president argued that security in the region should only come through “cooperation among its countries,” blaming the US for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, referring to the country as an unneeded “policeman.”
Regarding Saudi Arabia’s conflict with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, Pezeshkian suggested Iran could act as an intermediary between the two parties, Iran International reported.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor Yemen have commented on Pezeshkian’s offers to mediate.
Seth J. Frantzman and Reuters contributed to this report.