Iran is a ‘peace-seeking nation,’ the intelligence minister said, warning of a strong response to any hostile act from the US or Israel as threats against its nuclear facilities increased under the new Trump administration.
“The Iranian nation is peace-seeking and has no enmity with any country,” Esmail Khatib said during a ceremony Saturday marking the 40th anniversary of the Intelligence Ministry’s establishment.
“However, in the face of adventurism, malicious actions, and unwarranted interference—particularly from the US and the Zionist regime—we will adhere to the strategy of threat for threat and aggression for aggression.”
While US President Donald Trump has said he prefers diplomatic channels to deal with Iran, he has not ruled out military action against its nuclear facilities, having vowed that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, and other security and military officials attended the ceremony.
Khatib was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for his role in cyber operations and human rights abuses, designating both him and the ministry in 2022 saying they were involved in cyber activities against the US and its allies.
Iran’s intelligence services, particularly the Revolutionary Guard’s intelligence arm, have played a central role in suppressing dissent in recent years, detaining protesters and opposition figures in its own detention facilities.
