Iran will never yield to US pressure, says ambassador amid escalating tensions

• Iranians do not take Israeli actions seriously, says envoy.
• Amiri praises Iranian anchor's bravery after attack on broadcaster.
• "Iran views Trump's calls for renegotiation as disingenuous."

ISLAMABAD: Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri on Tuesday categorically ruled out any possibility of Iran yielding to US pressure, saying that if Americans "tell us to leave Iran, it will never happen.”

His remarks came as the US mounted pressure to abandon the nuclear programme and following former President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate evacuation of Tehran.

Speaking on Geo News programme 'Capital Talk', Amiri said that since 1989, every American president has delivered similar threats and demands, aiming to drive Iran’s leadership out of power. “But we are still there,” he said.

He was responding to recent remarks made by Trump, who said: “Iran should have signed the deal I told them to sign. What a shame and waste of human life. Simply stated, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

The Iranian ambassador noted that during the Zionist regime's missile or drone attacks on Tehran, ordinary citizens often go to their rooftops and joke about the situation. “They do not take such actions seriously,” he added.

Recalling a powerful moment from the recent escalation, Amiri noted that when Israeli missiles struck the state broadcaster in Tehran, a prominent anchor, Sehar Emami, was live on air and continued her broadcast despite the building being under attack.

“She didn’t leave the burning studio,” he remarked, portraying it as a testament to Iranian resolve.

On the matter of nuclear negotiations, the ambassador reiterated that Iran had already entered a comprehensive agreement in 2015 with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal during his first term in office.

“Trump refused to honour the previous US administration's agreement because he believed that ‘America is America only when he is in power’,” Amiri said.

He further said that former president Joe Biden did attempt to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, but his efforts failed, largely due to resistance from Israel. “Now Trump is back and demanding a new agreement again,” he added, making it clear that Iran views these repeated calls for renegotiation as disingenuous.

Israel launched its air war after saying it concluded Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Its surprise attack has killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military and its leading nuclear scientists.

The attacks have also killed more than 220 people in the Islamic Republic. Iran has retaliated with barrages of drones and missiles that have killed more than 20 people in Israel.

Israel claims that it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in the coming days. Iran has so far fired 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones towards Israel, said an Israeli military official.

Trump has consistently said the Israeli assault could end quickly if Iran agreed to US demands that it accept strict curbs on its nuclear programme.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.