New Delhi, March 6 (ANI) — Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told ANI on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2026 that Tehran sees itself in a state of total war and has “no option” but to mount a nationalist defence against what he described as American and Israeli aggression. He said Iran would continue to resist “to the last bullet” and “to the last soldier.”
Khatibzadeh framed the response as a necessary stand to stop what he called sustained attacks on Iranian territory and people, alleging carpet-bombing and ongoing strikes on cities including Tehran. He described the fight as both “heroic” and nationalistic, arguing that Iran must repel what he called an invasion and prevent further atrocities.
Emphasising the role of international law, Khatibzadeh said the conflict also threatens broader legal norms. He warned that actions such as the killing of a head of state by the United States, as he characterised it, would undermine global diplomatic practices and make normal relations between states impossible if such measures became acceptable.
On a separate incident in the Indian Ocean, Khatibzadeh compared the sinking of an Iranian vessel invited to an international exercise to wartime attacks on unarmed ships, saying the ship was ceremonial, unloaded and unarmed when it was struck. He likened the attack to precedent from Nazi-era assaults on noncombatant vessels, said many young Iranian sailors were killed, and warned that those responsible would not escape accountability.
Asked about the possibility of a U.S. ground invasion, he dismissed the idea as a colonial-style mission and said Iran would act to prevent any attempt to alter another country’s political structure. “They cannot come a thousand miles from their border to carry out a colonial mission of changing the political structure of another country,” he said, asserting Iran’s right to defend its sovereignty.
Khatibzadeh also addressed reports of CIA links to Kurdish groups, urging that Iran’s Kurdish population not be demonised and distinguishing ordinary Iranian Kurds from separatist groups he alleged were backed by foreign intelligence services. He stressed the Kurdish community’s role in Iran’s national identity and rejected separatism as a threat nurtured by outside actors.
On relations with India, Khatibzadeh said he held brief talks with India’s foreign minister and others at the conference and highlighted deep Indo-Persian cultural and civilisational ties, saying Tehran attaches great importance to bilateral relations.
When asked about any potential off-ramp to end the confrontation, Khatibzadeh said Iran’s resistance would be recorded by history and was motivated by defence of international law, ethics and morality. He suggested a cease to what he called aggression could open the way for renewed regional dynamism, but added that the initiative to stop hostilities rests with the other parties.
(This report is based on an ANI interview carried at Raisina Dialogue 2026 and published by local outlets.)
