Iranian President Pezeshkian warns US to fight military, not civilians
What happened
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement on 13 September condemning US actions and declaring that if the United States chooses military conflict, it should engage Iran's armed forces directly. Pezeshkian questioned why attacks are directed at civilians, according to reporting via X. The statement was made in Tehran and represents Iran's official position as tensions remain elevated in the region.
Context and assessment
Pezeshkian's statement follows a series of escalatory rhetoric from Tehran on 13 September, including accusations that the US and Israel target civilian infrastructure—water, food, and medical supplies—and label Iranian citizens as terrorists. Earlier the same day, Iran reportedly requested advanced Geran kamikaze drones from Russia, suggesting active military preparations. The pattern of statements reflects Iran's defensive posture amid perceived threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and may signal readiness for direct confrontation while simultaneously framing civilian harm as a hallmark of US and Israeli strategy. The timing and content suggest Iran is consolidating internal and international narratives ahead of potential escalation.
Sources and confidence
Reported via X by @ConflictTR on 13 September 2026 at 11:32 UTC. Single-source reporting limits independent cross-confirmation. Confidence score of 6.0 reflects that the statement appears authentic to Iran's messaging pattern that day, though the exact phrasing cannot be independently verified without official Iranian government confirmation. Additional confirmation from mainstream news agencies or direct Iranian state media would strengthen confidence.
Location
Tehran, Iran (35.6892°N, 51.389°E). Statement issued from Iran's capital, the seat of the president's office and center of government decision-making. Tehran is Iran's largest city and political hub, located in north-central Iran on the southern edge of the Alborz mountain range.
Related events nearby
- Iran requested advanced Geran kamikaze drones from Russia for use in operations against Israel and the US this2026-09-13 11:13 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iranian President Pezeshkian condemns U.S. and unnamed adversaries for targeting civilian infrastructure—water2026-09-13 07:51 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iranian President Pezeshkian calls on BRICS to play an active role in defending national sovereignty and terri2026-09-13 07:12 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iranian President Pezeshkian accuses Israel and the U.S. of manufacturing target lists to label citizens as te2026-09-13 06:27 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iranian President Pezeshkian equates Israel and the US as 'state terrorists,' accusing them of indiscriminate 2026-09-13 06:17 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
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Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.