Iran tells Fox News it was forced into war with US

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Tehran was forced into its six-month conflict with the U.S., warning Iran will respond "strongly" if attacks continue, while denying it sought war. Pezeshkian told Fox News that Iran never started the war but will respond resolutely, pushing back on President Trump's threats and denying claims Tehran is delaying a deal until after the midterm elections. He accused Washington of seeking to destabilize the region and bring down Iran's government. The Iranian president also insisted Iran never sought nuclear weapons, citing a religious decree from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes in February. Pezeshkian reiterated openness to diplomacy, referencing a June memorandum of understanding that collapsed.