TEHRAN, February 1. /TASS/. Neither Washington nor Tehran can gain anything from another war in the Middle East, which would only destabilize the entire region, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said.

"Iran has not sought and does not seek war in any form, and it is deeply convinced that war cannot be in the interest of Iran, the United States, or the region as a whole," he said during a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to a statement published on Pezeshkian’s website.

He also expressed hope that Washington had realized it was impossible to force Tehran into negotiations through threats and pressure. "It is clear that any aggression or attack on our territory will be met with a decisive and robust response, but Iran continues to seek a diplomatic solution," he added.

On January 26, Trump announced that a "massive armada" was heading toward Iran. He expressed hope that Tehran would return to the negotiating table and reach a "fair and equitable" deal that would entail a complete abolition of nuclear weapons. The US leader recalled that in June 2025, the United States launched strikes on nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic in an operation dubbed Midnight Hammer. He warned that "the next attack would be even worse," urging not to let that happen.

Tehran responded to Trump’s remarks by threatening the entire military infrastructure of the United States and its allies in the Middle East in the event of any aggression against Iran. On January 28, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized that Iran was ready for negotiations, but only free of threats and intimidation from the United States.