Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian delivering a speech aired on state TV on 23 January 2025.

Khamenei approves talks with all nations except Israel, Iran's president says

Thursday, 01/23/2025

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday said the county's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has allowed engaging with all nations except Israel.

"The Supreme Leader has stated in his general policies that our approach should be based on dignity, expediency, and wisdom, and that we should maintain relations with everyone—except for Israel, which is a separate case as it is an aggressor," Pezeshkian said in a speech aired on state TV on Thursday.

He also pointed to China’s pragmatic approach to its relations with the US, appearing to suggest that Iran should take a similar path.

"Look at China with all its greatness. Despite the US calling it a threat and labeling it as its number one enemy in its books, China still practices tolerance. Why? Because it seeks to maximize its benefits in the world it lives in. We, on the other hand, cannot even tolerate ourselves, let alone our neighbors," he said.

Pezeshkian underscored the need for dialogue, saying that Iran must engage with the world through the language of peace, understanding, and integrity rather than "quarreling with everyone".

More News