Iranian President Equates Israel and US as 'State Terrorists' in Regional Rhetoric
What happened
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement in Tehran on September 13 asserting that Israel and the United States are functionally identical in their regional conduct, describing both as 'state terrorists.' He alleged indiscriminate killings by both actors across Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Qatar, and Iran, claiming they kill 'whoever they want' in these territories. The statement was reported via X by conflict monitoring account @ConflictTR.
Context and assessment
Pezeshkian's remarks represent a hardening of Iran's rhetorical posture toward both Israel and the United States during a period of heightened regional tension. The statement follows related Iranian messaging on September 13 alleging that Israel and the US manufacture target lists to designate civilians as terrorists, and occurs amid ongoing Iranian diplomatic initiatives to establish maritime security arrangements with Oman. Iran's framing of US and Israeli actions as equivalent terrorism reflects a broader pattern of Iranian statements portraying both powers as destabilizing regional actors. This rhetoric may signal Iran's intent to mobilize domestic and international audiences against perceived Western-Israeli regional dominance, particularly as regional conflicts in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon remain active.
Sources and confidence
The statement was reported by conflict monitoring account @ConflictTR on X (formerly Twitter), with no cross-confirmation from other major news outlets visible in available data. The confidence score of 6.0 reflects single-source reporting; confirmation from Iranian state media or secondary sources would strengthen reliability. The statement's authenticity depends on the accuracy of @ConflictTR's translation and attribution.
Location
Tehran, Iran, identified at settlement-level precision (35.6892°N, 51.389°E). The Iranian capital serves as the seat of government and is the source location for official presidential statements. No specific venue within Tehran is indicated in available reporting.
Related events nearby
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- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Baghaei announces Monday meeting in Oman to establish temporary safe mari2026-09-12 14:38 UTC · Diplomacy · Tehran, Iran
- Iranian President Pezeshkian condemns US economic sanctions and coercive pressure, stating the US cannot force2026-09-12 12:45 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
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Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.