Pezeshkian vows Iran will defend 'every inch' amid U.S. escalation

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran will defend "every inch" of its territory, asserting that the nation's actions will speak for themselves. This statement comes amid a significant escalation with the United States, following claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran's military capabilities have been almost entirely dismantled.

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We will defend every inch of our homeland with our actions.

Pezeshkian questioned the effectiveness of U.S. actions, asking, "Their rhetoric continues, but the question is: have they achieved their objectives on the battlefield?" His comments were made in the context of heightened tensions, reportedly triggered by U.S. attacks on southern Iran after Tehran's actions against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with missile and drone strikes on U.S. interests in the region.

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Their rhetoric continues, but the question is: have they achieved their objectives on the battlefield?

Iranian media reported that U.S. attacks on the cities of Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Abadan continued, though details on damage or casualties were not provided. The Iranian Army affirmed that the armed forces would not yield on the Strait of Hormuz, stating the waterway would never be reopened through U.S. war, aggression, or attacks.

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We will defend every inch of our homeland with our actions.

Trump had previously stated that the U.S. had attacked Iran "very strongly" and had eliminated "almost all" of its military capacity. The ongoing exchange highlights a severe deterioration in relations and a direct military confrontation between the two nations.

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The maritime passage will never be reopened through war, aggression, or attacks by the United States.