October 29, 2026

The Iranian-based Mehr News Agency issued the following statement on Oct. 24, 2026.

In response to U.S. threats to resume its war against Iran, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stressed that Tehran does not need any power’s permission to defend itself.

In a statement titled “Iran will not be destroyed by threats,” Mohajerani said the country would not seek authorization from any state to protect itself: “These days, Iran’s enemies speak of a nation’s fate while asserting their capacity to destroy it as if a country could be wiped off the world map and a civilization erased from the memory of history, with a single command.

“American authorities and Israeli officials must understand that Iran’s destiny is not written according to their wishes or will. This nation will not surrender its independence or its right to determine its own future to those who issue threats. Repeating threats does not alter this reality — just as speaking more loudly does not transform a claim into reality.

“We know the suffering caused by war. We understand that behind every act of destruction, lives are disrupted, and behind every lost life, a family is left grieving forever. For this reason, we speak of peace with a sense of responsibility and strive to prevent war. Yet, no one should mistake this sense of responsibility for hesitation in defending Iran. Safeguarding the lives of our people, the territorial integrity and the independence of the country is a duty in which we shall never falter.

“Iran does not wait for any power’s permission to defend itself. The country’s powerful Armed Forces are tasked with safeguarding this land, and aggressors must realize that a decision to commit an act of aggression will not be without cost or consequence. Any assessment regarding Iran that fails to take into account the nation’s defensive capabilities and the will of its people is fundamentally flawed.”