President: Iran will stand firm against threats, continue path of martyrs

Speaking on Thursday at a ceremony in Tehran marking the anniversary of the assassination of senior resistance figures, including Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Pezeshkian said Iran will not be intimidated by threats, pressure or targeted killings and will remain committed to the course it has chosen.

“We are not afraid of martyrdom, and for our nation, our revolution and our country we are ready for any sacrifice,” Pezeshkian told the gathering at Tehran’s Mosalla prayer complex. “We will stand with strength on this path until the end.”

General Soleimani, the former commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was assassinated in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020.

Pezeshkian warned Iran’s adversaries against relying on threats of death or assassination as a means of exerting pressure, saying such tactics will not alter Iran’s resolve.

“Our treacherous and oppressive enemies should not think they can frighten us with martyrdom,” he said, adding that Iran will continue the “path of the dear martyrs” through perseverance and sustained effort to address the problems facing ordinary citizens.

The president described General Soleimani as a unique and enduring role model, praising his conduct across ethical, social and military spheres.

He hailed the commander as a figure devoted to justice, unity and the defense of the oppressed, saying these qualities have earned him respect well beyond Iran’s borders.

“Martyr Soleimani was a supporter of the oppressed, of truth and of justice,” Pezeshkian said. “He worked without claim, without name and without expectation. Ethnically or socially, no one was different to him.”

Addressing a large crowd, Pezeshkian said the strong public turnout demonstrated a shared determination to preserve the legacy of General Soleimani and other figures martyred in US and Israeli acts of aggression.

“We pledge that we will continue this path with all our strength and will not allow it to be abandoned,” he said. “We stand against oppressors and will not bow.”

Pezeshkian hit out at the US and Israel for engaging in “state terrorism” under the banner of democracy and freedom.

He cited the assassination of General Soleimani, his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iranian scientists and military commanders as examples.

“Today, the United States and the Israeli regime, in the name of civilization, democracy and freedom, commit state assassinations,” he said. “They target elites and free people around the world.”

Reiterating his government’s broader approach, Pezeshkian said his administration will seek to follow General Soleimani’s emphasis on unity and cohesion across ethnic and social lines.

He stressed that maintaining national solidarity and adhering to the guidance of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei are essential to resisting external pressure.

Turning to domestic concerns, the president said protecting people’s livelihoods is a “red line” for his government, as Iran continues to grapple with economic strain and external sanctions.

“We consider it our duty to work with all our strength to solve the problems of the people,” he said, calling for collective effort to ensure economic stability, justice and social resilience.

Pezeshkian said the challenges facing the country are significant but insisted that unity, perseverance and a focus on social justice will enable Iran to confront both internal difficulties and external pressure.