Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian calls for end to war with US from position of strength

Aug 21, 2026

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for an end to the war with the US, asserting Tehran is in a position of strength. The conflict, which began in February 2026, remains in a military stalemate with the Strait of Hormuz partially blocked. While Pezeshkian defends a June memorandum of understanding, hardliners oppose concessions. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is preparing a major sanctions campaign to collapse the Iranian regime, a move criticized by China and Iran.

Iran-US military stalemate

▪The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which began in February 2026, has been locked in a military stalemate for months.
▪Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Ahmad Vahidi stated that Iran had created a solid defensive shield and called the continuation of its empowerment strategy the only intelligent solution.
▪Major-General Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, stated that Iran's military forces would respond to new threats with crushing, punishing, and devastating responses.

Pezeshkian seeks war end

▪Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf acknowledged economic pressure on Iran, stating that the country cannot survive without financial turnover, economic growth, and national production.
▪During a meeting with doctors on August 21, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for an end to the war with the United States, asserting that Iran is in a position of power and dignity.
▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his government favors a negotiated end to the war to protect citizens' livelihoods and the country's economic situation.
▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of violating international regulations by attacking Iranian schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.

June memorandum of understanding

▪Hardline lawmakers in Iran's parliament criticized the June 2026 memorandum of understanding, accusing the administration of making concessions to the United States regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
▪Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei approved the June 2026 memorandum of understanding to end the war despite having different views.
▪Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended the June 2026 memorandum of understanding with Washington, stating that it contains no clauses indicating capitulation and that all commitments concern the other side.

US sanctions escalation

▪Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the planned US sanctions, describing them as economic terrorism and crimes against humanity.
▪US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Washington would impose a new sanctions campaign to collapse the Iranian regime, shifting from military to economic pressure.
▪Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the planned US sanctions, calling them a continuation of failed pressure policies and describing Economic D-Day as a diversion from America's own debt crisis.
▪US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent scheduled a press conference for Monday, August 24, 2026, to provide details on the new economic sanctions against Iran.

Strait of Hormuz blockade

▪Reports in US media indicate the US Navy has been organizing and protecting secret convoys of tankers through the southern sector of the Strait of Hormuz, enabling 5 to 10 million barrels of oil per day to be exported.
▪Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz partially shut while the United States maintains a naval counterblockade, severely disrupting maritime traffic.
▪US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that the US military helped move a seven-day average of about 8 million barrels of oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz, down from more than 20 million barrels before the conflict.
▪According to ship-tracking data, only four commodity ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with no large crude carriers or LNG tankers transiting.

International responses to conflict

▪US President Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2026, that Iran is not ready to make the right deal and asserted that the US has total control of the Strait of Hormuz region.
▪Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected the US sanctions approach, stating that sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue and calling for political and diplomatic efforts.
▪Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the White House on September 24, 2026, where the topic of Iran is expected to be discussed.
▪Omani and Iranian foreign ministers held a phone call on Friday, August 21, 2026, to discuss resuming negotiations and developments affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.