Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is in a full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe.
“In my opinion, we are at a full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe. They want to bring our country to its knees,” Mr Pezeshkian told the official site of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, six months after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran.
France, Britain and Germany were behind the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran in September, connected to its nuclear programme.
“This war is worse than the one launched against us by Iraq. On closer inspection, it is far more complex and difficult,” he added, referring to the 1980-1988 conflict between the neighbouring countries that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
The US and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.
Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has revived his so-called “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, which was initiated during his first term. That has included additional sanctions designed to economically cripple the country and dry up its oil revenues from sales on the global market.
The remarks came before a planned meeting between Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the latter’s visit to the US. Iran is expected to be a key topic in the talks.
The US and Iran were at odds at the UN Security Council on Tuesday over conditions for reviving nuclear talks, with the US saying it remains ready for direct negotiations but Iran rejecting Washington's terms.
The countries held five rounds of nuclear talks before the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking Iranian nuclear sites.
"All enemy calculations were that an attack would cause the country to descend into turmoil; but the people defended their Iran, their country, their religion, their culture, and their Leader." Mr Pezeshkian said in the interview.
However, he warned of internal strife.
"The thing I am worried about and have said many times, is only that we might fail to put aside our differences. The enemy is fanning the flames of division; we must be careful not to let it consume us."
