The President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, has today issued an open letter to the American people, as follows:

To the People of the United States of America, and to all those amidst the flood of distortion and fabricated narratives who still seek truth and aspire to a better life:

Iran—by its name, character, and identity—is one of the oldest continuous civilizations in human history. Despite possessing geopolitical advantages at various points in history, Iran has never chosen a path of aggression, expansion, colonization, or hegemony in modern times. Even after enduring occupations, invasions, and sustained pressures from great powers, and despite having military capabilities far superior to many neighboring countries, Iran has never initiated a war on its own. Yet, for any aggressor, Iran has always stood firm and courageously defended itself.

The Iranian people harbor no hostility toward other nations—including the United States, the peoples of Europe, or neighbors. Even throughout their glorious history, marked by repeated external interference and pressure, Iranians have consistently drawn a clear distinction between “the government” and “the people it governs.” This is a deeply rooted principle within Iranian culture and collective consciousness, not a temporary political stance.

Thus, portraying Iran as a “threat” is neither consistent with historical facts nor aligned with observable reality today. Such perceptions are products of power politics driven by private political and economic interests: to justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets, one must “invent an enemy.” Under this logic, if a threat does not exist, it will be conjured from nothing.

Under this framework, the United States deploys the vast majority of its military forces, bases, and combat capabilities around Iran—despite the fact that this nation has never launched a war of aggression since the founding of the United States. The recent aggressive actions launched by the U.S. from these bases precisely confirm the real threat posed by such military presence.

Naturally, no country in such circumstances would abandon efforts to strengthen its own defense. What Iran has done—and continues to do—is a restrained response based on legitimate self-defense, not an act of war or aggression.

Iran’s relationship with the United States was never inherently adversarial. Early interactions between the peoples of both nations were not tainted by enmity. The turning point came in 1953, when the U.S. orchestrated an illegal coup: a foreign intervention aimed at blocking Iran’s nationalization of its own resources, which undermined Iran’s democratic process, restored a dictatorship, and planted deep mistrust toward U.S. policy in the hearts of the Iranian people.

This mistrust has only grown deeper over time, fueled by U.S. support for the Shah’s regime, backing Saddam during the Iran-Iraq War, the longest and most comprehensive sanctions in modern history, and even two unprovoked military attacks against Iran during negotiations.

Yet, all this pressure has failed to weaken Iran. On the contrary, Iran has become stronger across numerous domains: literacy rates have soared from around 30% before the Islamic Revolution to over 90% today; higher education has expanded dramatically; significant breakthroughs have been achieved in modern technology; healthcare services have steadily improved; and infrastructure development now proceeds at speeds and scales previously unimaginable. These are measurable, verifiable realities, independent of any fabricated narratives.

At the same time, the devastating, inhumane impact of sanctions, war, and aggression on the resilient Iranian people must not be underestimated. Ongoing military attacks and recent bombings have profoundly altered people’s lives, mindsets, and perceptions. This confirms a fundamental truth about humanity: when war inflicts irreparable harm on lives, homes, cities, and futures, people will never remain indifferent to those responsible.

This raises a fundamental question: whose interests does this war truly serve for the American people? Has Iran ever posed any objective threat capable of justifying U.S. aggression? Does slaughtering innocent children, destroying cancer treatment pharmaceutical facilities, or threatening to “blast a nation back into the Stone Age” serve any purpose beyond further damaging America’s global reputation?

Iran has sought negotiation, reached agreements, and fulfilled every commitment. In contrast, the U.S. government's withdrawal from agreements, escalation of confrontation, and two unprovoked military attacks during talks represent highly destructive choices—choices that serve only the fantasies of foreign aggressors.

Attacking key Iranian infrastructure—including energy and industrial facilities—directly targets the Iranian people. Such actions not only constitute war crimes but also have repercussions far beyond Iran’s borders: they generate instability, escalate human and economic costs, perpetuate cycles of tension, and sow grievances that will endure for decades. This is not a display of strength, but a sign of strategic confusion and an inability to find sustainable solutions.

Is the United States not acting here as an agent for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime? Isn’t it true that Israel fabricates the “Iranian threat” to divert global attention from its own crimes against the Palestinian people? Isn’t it obvious that Israel now seeks to make American soldiers and taxpayers’ money fight to the bitter end on its behalf, shifting the burden of its own delusions onto Iran, the region, and even the United States itself—to pursue illegitimate gains?

Does the current U.S. administration truly prioritize “America First”?

I earnestly urge you to look beyond the machinery of lies—central to this aggression—and speak with those who have visited Iran. Look at the countless Iranian immigrants who studied in Iran, now teaching and conducting research at top universities worldwide, and contributing to the most advanced tech enterprises in the West. Do these realities align with the distorted portrayals you’ve heard about Iran and its people?

Today, the world stands at a crossroads. Continuing down the path of confrontation will only bring greater cost and futility than ever before. The choice between confrontation and cooperation is real, profound, and consequential—the outcome will shape the fate of generations to come.

Throughout thousands of years of glorious history, Iran has overcome countless invaders. Those invaders left behind only names of shame in history, while Iran has endured—resilient, dignified, proud.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861307084487691/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.