Bengaluru, 2 May

Iran’s envoy to India, Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, on Saturday characterised the ongoing tensions between his country and the Israel-US alliance as a state of “no war, no peace”.

Addressing a press conference in the City, he said global stability hinges on those who initiated the war and questioned why countries affected by the war and suffering from the energy crisis are not pressuring the US and Israel to stop the aggression

"Iran didn't want this war, but Iran was forced by the war, and several times Iran tried to avoid this war... I don't know what the condition of these people and these countries (US-Israel)... they want to impose on other countries what they want, and who gave them this authority?" he asked, noting that factories and hotels were closing across the world due to the war.

He noted that the attacks disrupted the progress being made during negotiations in Oman and then in Geneva.

Despite losses of over 4,000 people, including the deaths of 175 people in a primary school, he said Iran resisted calls for “unconditional surrender”.

“Iran said, 'Okay, we are ready to be sacrificed,' but we are not ready to submit ourselves," he added.

Explaining the current situation in Iran, he said conditions remain stable, and people are going about their daily lives.

"They are working ....(leading) their ordinary life. They are working—they're going farming, and they do everything....and they aren't scared of anything. And they are ready to defend themselves," he added.