Iranian president lists preconditions for ending war with US, Israel

TEHRAN -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that "the only way" to end its war with the United States and Israel "is recognizing Iran's legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression."

In a post on social media platform X, Pezeshkian voiced "Iran's commitment to peace in the region."

Earlier in the day, Iranian armed forces warned that they would launch massive retaliation if the United States were to strike Iran's ports.

Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran's armed forces, made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV after the US Central Command published a post on its Persian page on X, calling on civilians in Iran to immediately stay away from the port facilities in which Iranian naval forces are carrying out operations.

"If the United States carries out its threat against Iran's ports, no port, economic center, or point in the Persian Gulf will be out of our reach," Shekarchi said.

On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and US assets in the Middle East.