Iranian president says threats will strengthen national unity

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has dismissed comments by US President Donald Trump about “wiping Iran off the map” as a “delusion”, saying the remarks reflect weakness rather than strength.

In a post on the social media platform X, Pezeshkian said such statements demonstrate “impotence and weakness in the face of a people making history”, adding that threats would only strengthen internal unity.

“Threats and terrorism only increase the unity of the Iranian people,” he said.

The Iranian president also addressed tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the waterway remains open to international shipping except for countries that attack Iranian territory.

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“The Strait of Hormuz is open to ships from all countries except those that attack Iran, and we will respond to threats on the ground with overwhelming force,” he said.

Trump had earlier written on his platform Truth Social that the United States had “wiped Iran off the map”, in remarks that have drawn strong reactions from Tehran.

Since 28th February, Israel and the United States have been conducting a military offensive against Iran, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people, including senior officials and security figures, as well as widespread destruction.

Tehran has responded by launching missile and drone strikes towards Israel, while also targeting what it describes as American bases and interests in several Arab countries. Some of these attacks have caused casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, prompting condemnation from the affected states and calls for an end to the escalation.

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