Iranian president: “If Americans are warriors, let them face our brave armed forces”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian challenged the United States on Saturday to confront Iran’s military forces directly instead of attacking civilian infrastructure, food supplies and means of subsistence.

“If the Americans are warriors, let them face our brave armed forces. Why declare war on civilian infrastructure, food supplies and means of subsistence?” Pezeshkian wrote on X. “If they are human, why deny people access to water, food and medicine? Our people cannot be intimidated into surrendering. Iran will not surrender.”

Pezeshkian repeated his criticism, questioning why civilians should be denied access to basic necessities and insisting that pressure would not force Iran to give up.

The previous day, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States “still” has enemies and defended what he called the country’s “war on terror.” He said millions of Americans had answered calls to serve and described overseas conflicts as a generation marked by sacrifice and courage.