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Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has challenged the people of the United States over whether the ongoing Middle East conflict truly reflects an “America First” policy, accusing Washington of war crimes and undue influence from Israel ahead of an anticipated address by Donald Trump.
The conflict, triggered by a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28, has spread across the Middle East, fuelling global economic instability.
More than a month into the war, Trump claimed on Wednesday that Pezeshkian was seeking a ceasefire, an assertion rejected by Tehran.
In an open letter published on Wednesday, Pezeshkian criticised attacks on Iran’s key infrastructure.
“Attacking Iran’s vital infrastructure — including energy and industrial facilities directly targets the Iranian people,” he said.
He warned that the strikes would fuel instability, raise humanitarian and economic costs, and create long-lasting resentment.
Portraying the conflict as damaging for all sides, Pezeshkian questioned whether there had been “any objective threat” from Iran to justify the military action. He further suggested that Washington may have entered the war “as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime”.
“Is ‘America First’ truly among the priorities of the U.S. government today?” he asked.
Pezeshkian also emphasised that ordinary Americans are not viewed as adversaries by Iran, despite ongoing tensions and foreign interventions.
His remarks come ahead of Trump’s prime-time address on the conflict, as he faces declining approval ratings, economic concerns and mounting diplomatic pressure.
Trump said on Wednesday that he would only consider a ceasefire once the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, following its effective closure by Tehran a move that has sent shockwaves through global oil markets.
