Iran In 'Total War' With US, Israel, Europe, Says President Pezeshkian

Last Updated:December 28, 2025, 17:26 IST

Masoud Pezeshkian's remarks come days after Israeli strike on Quds Force commander, and months renewed UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian's comments come days after the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency announced the killing of a senior commander from Iran’s Quds Force in an Israeli strike in northeast Lebanon. (Image: AFP)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared they were in a “total war" with the US, Israel, and Europe as the country works to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.

“In my opinion, we are at total war with the United States, Israel, and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees," Pezeshkian said in an interview published in state media on Saturday.

He further said: “This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq (1980-88 war). On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult."

This comes days after the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency announced the killing of a senior commander from Iran’s Quds Force in an Israeli strike in northeast Lebanon. In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet said the target, Hussein Mahmoud Marshad al-Jawhari, was a top commander in the Operations Unit of the Quds Force, the extraterritorial arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to the Israeli statement, al-Jawhari had been involved in recent years “in advancing terrorist plots against Israel in the Syria–Lebanon arena." It said the Operations Unit—also known as Unit 840—is responsible for directing Iranian attacks against Israel.

The Israeli military also released drone footage showing the strike.

This comes months after the UN reimposed sanctions on Iran, including an arms embargo, over its nuclear programme. These measures revived the pre-2015 restrictions that were lifted under the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—the multilateral nuclear deal between Tehran, the EU, the US, and other global powers.

Technically, the sanctions explicitly demand that Iran halt uranium enrichment and related activities, potentially slowing its programme. The IAEA warns that, unchecked, Iran could produce enough fissile material for several bombs in just weeks.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday left for the US, where he is expected to meet President Donald Trump and other officials, Anadolu Agency reported.

The meeting with Netanyahu will be the fifth since the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.

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