TEHRAN, April 29. /TASS/. Following a recent escalation triggered by US and Israeli strikes, Iran has declared its intention to end years of external pressure and aggression - once and for all. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh announced that Iran is resolved to put an end to what he described as a prolonged campaign of hostility.

"In the aftermath of the 12-day conflict in June 2025," Khatibzadeh explained at the Institute for Political and International Studies, a think tank affiliated with Iran’s Foreign Ministry, "I warned that if such an event were to recur, Iran would not respond with restraint, deliberation, or predictability. This would be a war for survival - an entirely different kind of conflict - and that is precisely what has transpired. Iran has decided to conclusively end this aggression, which the Americans initiated decades ago, without forgetting the consequences of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that expelled the Americans."

He emphasized that the United States has consistently failed to acknowledge the shifts within Iran and the realities on the ground. "They continue to punish the Iranian people for their revolution, refusing to accept the new geopolitical landscape," Khatibzadeh stated.

"This conflict marked a turning point where we resolved to permanently put an end to the illegal pressures exerted on Iran," he added.

The recent hostilities began on February 28, when US and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian interests. On April 7, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week mutual ceasefire, seeking to de-escalate the situation. During the 40 days of conflict, Iran reported that 3,375 of its nationals had been killed in the strikes.

Efforts to negotiate a long-term solution took place in Islamabad on April 11, but talks between Tehran and Washington failed to produce an agreement due to persistent differences. On April 21, Trump declared his intention to extend the ceasefire unilaterally. However, Iranian officials have stated that Tehran does not recognize Washington’s unilateral extension and will act in accordance with its own strategic interests.