Iran's president slams US: 'We don't need a regional police officer'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, attending the BRICS summit in India, delivered a sharp rebuke of the United States on Saturday (local time).

According to AFP and other outlets, Pezeshkian held bilateral talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the sidelines of the summit, which opened in New Delhi, and declared, "We don't need a regional police officer" — a remark widely interpreted as a direct jab at Washington's involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.

"The territorial integrity and security of the Middle East can only be guaranteed by the countries of the region themselves," Pezeshkian said, warning against outside interference. Iran has been engaged in an all-out war with the United States for more than six months, following US and Israeli airstrikes in February that killed the country's supreme leader.

He added that "despite all unjust circumstances, we do not want war and peace is our top priority," while also telling local religious and business leaders that "the Iranian people will never surrender," signaling his government's resolve to fight back.

Meanwhile, BRICS member states are said to have agreed on draft language for a joint statement condemning unilateral acts of war by any country, without naming specific nations, according to Reuters and other foreign media.