Iran says there will be no war with US: IRNA

Published June 19, 2019
"There will not be a military confrontation between Iran and America since there is no reason for a war," says Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani. — AFP/File
"There will not be a military confrontation between Iran and America since there is no reason for a war," says Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani. — AFP/File

There will not be any military confrontation between Iran and the United States, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council was quoted as saying on Wednesday by the state news agency, IRNA.

Fears of a confrontation between Iran and the US have mounted since last Thursday when two oil tankers were attacked, which Washington has blamed on long-time foe Tehran, more than a year after President Donald Trump said Washington was withdrawing from a 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran denied any responsibility.

Read more: Iran says CIA spy network dismantled as tensions ratchet up

“There will not be a military confrontation between Iran and America since there is no reason for a war. Accusing other countries has turned into a common practice among US officials as they try to pressure other counties,” Ali Shamkhani said.

On Monday, acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced the deployment of about 1,000 more troops to the Middle East for what he said were defensive purposes, citing concerns about a threat from Iran.

“The recent Iranian attacks validate the reliable, credible intelligence we have received on hostile behaviour by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region,” Shanahan said in a statement.

The new US deployment to the Middle East is in addition to a 1,500-troop increase announced last month in response to tanker attacks in May. Washington previously tightened sanctions, ordering all countries and companies to halt imports of Iranian oil or be banished from the global financial system.

Opinion

Editorial

Water vision
01 May, 2026

Water vision

WATER insecurity in Pakistan has been building up for decades as per capita water availability has declined from...
Vaccine policy
01 May, 2026

Vaccine policy

PAKISTAN has finally approved its first National Vaccine Policy; a step the health ministry has rightly described as...
Labour rights
Updated 01 May, 2026

Labour rights

THE annual observance of May Day should move beyond statements about the state’s commitment to the rights of...
UAE’s Opec exit
Updated 30 Apr, 2026

UAE’s Opec exit

THE UAE’s exit from Opec is another sign of the major geopolitical shifts that are reshaping the global order. One...
Uncertain recovery
30 Apr, 2026

Uncertain recovery

PAKISTAN’S growth projections for the current fiscal present a cautiously hopeful picture, though geopolitical...
Police ‘encounters’
30 Apr, 2026

Police ‘encounters’

THE killing of nine suspects by Punjab’s Crime Control Department across Lahore, Sahiwal and Toba Tek Singh ...