Elias Hazrati, head of the Information Council in President Pezeshkian’s administration, made a striking statement regarding the killing of General Qassem Soleimani.
“America assassinated Qassem Soleimani,” he said, “and we should have executed all American leaders in response. Haj Qasem’s worth far exceeded such a loss.”
He went on to explain that Iran’s strategic posture at the time was not geared toward war:
“We chose restraint. They martyred our guest, Ismail Haniyeh, and once again, we responded with patience and silence.”
Hazrati emphasized that even now, Iran’s approach remains non-confrontational:
“Our strategy is still not war. The enemy launched an attack in the midst of negotiations, while we were fully committed to the diplomatic process.”
He concluded by accusing the United States of attempting to destabilize Iran:
“They acted with the intent of regime change, targeting political leaders, fortunately without success. They struck military figures and deployed forces near our borders. Their goal was to spark unrest, provoke anger and violence, and ultimately dismantle the system from within.”
