Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s future will be determined by its people rather than any outside power. In a message posted on X on Saturday, he praised Iranians as “heroes” for showing patience and courage amid continuing conflict, pressure and adversity involving the United States and Israel.

Pezeshkian said the public had maintained unwavering support for the country and resilience despite war, economic pressure and sustained hostile conditions. He said Iran had faced successive open wars, severe social and economic pressure, and persistent hostility from its adversaries. Despite those conditions, he said ordinary Iranians had stood beside the country like a strong wall.

Discussing the background to the current heightened tensions, Pezeshkian cited the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, 2024. Haniyeh was in Tehran at the time to attend Pezeshkian’s presidential inauguration ceremony. The president reiterated that no external force would shape Iran’s future, saying the country’s people would build it themselves.