Iran President Says US Must Decide Whether to End War

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the United States must decide whether it wants to bring the ongoing war with Iran to an end, while insisting that Tehran does not want the conflict to continue.

Pezeshkian made the comments in an interview with Fox News that aired on Thursday, September 24, after he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Asked whether the war could end before the end of the year, he said Iran was not seeking to prolong the fighting and that the decision ultimately rested with Washington.

“But we do not wish to continue. It’s America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not,” Pezeshkian said, according to Reuters and AFP reports of the interview.

The Iranian president also said Tehran remained open to negotiations with US President Donald Trump. He argued that disputes should be resolved through dialogue rather than military action and said Iran was prepared to pursue an agreement within the framework of international law.

The comments came a day after Pezeshkian’s address to the UN General Assembly, where he rejected US pressure and said Iran would not surrender. At the same time, he left open the possibility of diplomacy and negotiations to end the conflict.

The diplomatic signals come amid continuing efforts to find a way out of the conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Tehran had presented the Trump administration with a proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart negotiations on ending the wider war within seven days. A US official confirmed that discussions were taking place through intermediaries.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a major point of contention because of its importance to global energy supplies. Pezeshkian has rejected claims that Iran deliberately closed the waterway and has argued that Tehran should not be denied access to shipping through it.

US President Donald Trump has meanwhile warned that Iran could face further military action if an agreement is not reached, while also indicating that a deal could be possible. The two sides therefore remain publicly divided over the conditions for ending the conflict, even as diplomatic contacts continue.