Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian released an open letter directly to the American public on Wednesday, questioning the rationale behind the ongoing US-Israeli campaign against Tehran and urging US citizens to reconsider the motivations driving Washington’s foreign policy.
In this wide-ranging message, Pezeshkian challenges long-held assumptions that Iran poses a security threat, traces grievances in bilateral relations spanning decades, and insists that Iran’s recent military moves are based on self-defense rather than aggression.
The letter comes as US President Donald Trump prepares to address the nation on the state of the conflict.
Here is the full text of his letter:
“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
“To the people of the United States of America and all those who, amid a flood of distortions and fabricated narratives, continue to seek the truth and aspire to a better life:
“Iran – by name, character and identity – is one of the oldest continuous civilizations in human history. Despite its historical and geographical advantages at various times, Iran has never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism or domination. Even after suffering occupation, invasion and sustained pressure from world powers – and despite its military superiority over many of its neighbors – Iran has never started a war, yet it resolutely and courageously repelled those who attacked it.
“The Iranian people have no hostility towards other nations, including the people of America, Europe or neighboring countries. Even in the face of repeated foreign intervention and pressure throughout their proud history, Iranians have always established a clear distinction between governments and the people they govern. This is a principle deeply rooted in Iranian culture and collective consciousness – not a temporary political position.
“For this reason, presenting Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with today’s observable facts. Such a perception is the product of the political and economic whims of the powerful – the need to manufacture an enemy to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, support the arms industry and control strategic markets. In such an environment, if a threat does not exist, it is invented.
“In this same framework, the United States has concentrated the greatest number of its forces, bases and military capabilities around Iran – a country which, at least since the creation of the United States, has never started a war. Recent American aggressions launched from these same bases have demonstrated how threatening such a military presence really is. Naturally, no country faced with such conditions would give up on strengthening its defensive capabilities. What Iran has done – and continues to do – is a measured response based on self-defense, and in no case an initiation of war or aggression.
“Relations between Iran and the United States were not originally hostile, and early interactions between the Iranian and American people were not marred by hostility or tension. The turning point, however, was the 1953 coup, an illegal American intervention aimed at preventing the nationalization of Iran’s own resources. This coup disrupted Iran’s democratic process, reestablished dictatorship, and sowed deep distrust among Iranians at This distrust deepened further with America’s support for the Shah’s regime, its support for Saddam Hussein during the imposed war of the 1980s, the imposition of the longest and most comprehensive sanctions in modern history, and, ultimately, unprovoked military aggression – twice, in the middle of negotiations – against Iran.
“Yet all these pressures have failed to weaken Iran. On the contrary, the country has strengthened in many areas: literacy rates have tripled from around 30% before the Islamic Revolution to over 90% today; higher education has expanded significantly; significant advances have been made in modern technology; health services have improved; and infrastructure has developed at a pace and scale incomparable with the past These are measurable and observable realities that are independent of fabricated stories.
“At the same time, the destructive and inhumane impact of sanctions, war and aggression on the lives of the resilient Iranian people must not be underestimated. The continued military aggression and recent bombings profoundly affect people’s lives, attitudes and perspectives. This reflects a basic human truth: when war inflicts irreparable damage on lives, homes, cities and the future, people will not remain indifferent to those responsible.
“This raises a fundamental question: Exactly what interests of the American people are actually being served by this war? Was there an objective threat from Iran to justify such behavior? Does the slaughter of innocent children, the destruction of pharmaceutical cancer treatment facilities, or the boasting of bombing a country ‘back to the Stone Age’ have any purpose other than to further damage the United States’ global standing?
“Iran continued negotiations, reached an agreement, and fulfilled all of its commitments. The decision to withdraw from that agreement, escalate into confrontation, and launch two acts of aggression in the middle of the negotiations were destructive choices made by the U.S. government – choices that served the illusions of a foreign aggressor.
“Attacking Iran’s vital infrastructure – including energy and industrial facilities – directly targets the Iranian people. Beyond constituting a war crime, such actions carry consequences that extend far beyond Iran’s borders. They generate instability, increase human and economic costs, and perpetuate cycles of tension, sowing seeds of resentment that will last for years. This is not a show of force; it is a sign of strategic confusion and incapacity to achieve a lasting solution.
“Is it not also true that America embarked on this aggression as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime? Is it not true that Israel, by creating an Iranian threat, seeks to distract global attention from its crimes against the Palestinians? Is it not obvious that Israel now aims to fight Iran to the last American soldier and every last American taxpayer dollar – shifting the burden of its illusions onto Iran, the region and the United States itself in pursuit of illegitimate interests?
“Is America First really part of the American government’s priorities today?
“I invite you to look beyond the disinformation machinery – an integral part of this aggression – and instead speak with those who have visited Iran. Look at the many accomplished Iranian immigrants – educated in Iran – who now teach and conduct research at the world’s most prestigious universities, or contribute to the West’s most advanced technology companies. Do these realities match the distortions you are told about Iran and its people?
“Today, the world stands at a crossroads. Continuing the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever. The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future of generations to come. Throughout its millennia of proud history, Iran has survived many aggressors. All that remains of them are tarnished names in history, while Iran endures – resilient, dignified and proud.
