Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that Tehran must break out of its current state of “neither war nor peace”, as economic pressures mount from the ongoing military conflict with the United States and Israel, the semi-official Isna news agency reported.

Speaking at a ceremony, Mr Pezeshkian stressed that effective steps to resolve the prolonged deadlock were essential to establishing a predictable strategic environment for domestic planning.

“I still believe that we must go and get out of the ‘no war, no peace’ situation, because Iran and our land are very rich and exceptional in minerals, geography, and human resources, and each of these is gold,” he said.

Pezeshkian said it was “necessary to correct our mentality and get on the right path”, calling for unity and cohesion.

He also said many Iran­ians were struggling to put food on the table as economic pressures mounted amid the war in the Middle East, AFP reported.

‘New attempt’

Separately, Pezeshkian blamed the United States for the failure of an interim deal with Iran but said there should be a fresh attempt to conclude it.

“We were having negotiations; the cowards [Americans] messed everything up … I still think we should go and conclude it,” he said in remarks broadcast on state television.

Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam has said that Tehran recently conveyed through Islamabad that it was prepared to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington lifted its naval blockade, The Associated Press reported.

In his remarks at a seminar in Islamabad, the Ira­n­ian envoy also accused US President Donald Trump of rejecting the proposal by insisting the blockade of Iranian ports would continue.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026