Iran's President Pezeshkian Calls for Regional Peace Amid Escalating US-Israel Conflict

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran sought to avoid war through diplomacy but was compelled to defend itself following what he described as a joint US-Israel military attack. Addressing neighboring Arab countries, he emphasized Iran's respect for their sovereignty and called for regional peace to be maintained collectively. The conflict escalated after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with Iran launching missile attacks and forming an interim leadership council amid ongoing hostilities, including a US submarine sinking an Iranian naval vessel near Sri Lanka.