Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that Iran wants peace in the Middle East during a joint press conference in Doha with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Wednesday.
"Iran aspires to peace and stability in the Middle East because no country can progress when there is war," he stated.
These statements follow Iran's attack on Israel on Tuesday when more than 180 ballistic missiles were launched at the country, marking Iran's largest assault on Israel to date.
"We, the Iranians, do not want to be the cause of instability in the Middle East, as the consequences will be irreversible. Iran does not want war," Pezeshkian said in a speech the week prior. "We want to live in peace. In war, there are no winners, and we know this!"
Since last Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has remained in a highly secured location within Iran as the country braces for further retaliation from Israel following the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah.
Iran's attack drew widespread condemnation from the international community, particularly from the US.
US response to Iran
"Not only is Israel considering its response to the Iranian attack, but we are also weighing our options," said US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. "A response that sends a message to Iran is necessary, and discussions on this are underway," he continued.
"I think we recognize, as important as a response of some kind should be, there is a recognition that the region is really balancing on a knife's edge, and real concerns about an even broader escalation or a continuing one, not just simply an exchange of sort of isolated salvos, but of more sustained hostility, which could imperil not just Israel, but our strategic interests as well," Campbell added.
President Joe Biden announced sanctions on Iran in retaliation for the attack. He also voiced his support for Israel, stating that the US is "providing counsel to Israel" and that "Israel has the right to defend itself."