Pezeshkian backs US memorandum as Iran faces war deadlock and regional unrest

Masoud Pezeshkian defended Iran's memorandum with the United States as the best path out of the war deadlock. His remarks came as executions, Gaza strikes and West Bank violence underscored rising regional strain.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has defended a recent memorandum of understanding with the United States, calling it the best way to move beyond the current stalemate in the war, even as tensions remained high across the wider Middle East on Sunday. A warning from Iran's top security establishment, fresh violence in Gaza and unrest in the occupied West Bank underlined the strain across the region.The developments came as Iran tried to navigate what Pezeshkian described as a phase of "neither war nor peace", with its economy under pressure from sanctions and a naval blockade. In separate incidents, Iran executed a man arrested during January's protests, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a four-year-old child, and a Palestinian man was beaten by an Israeli settler outside his home while the Israeli military said it was pursuing a stabbing suspect in another West Bank attack.In a speech published by state-run IRNA early on Sunday, Pezeshkian said the recent agreement offered the best route out of the deadlock. "There is not a single provision in this agreement that amounts to capitulation," he said. "The supreme leader sets the policies, and we will follow that path." He also linked the agreement to Iran's economic prospects, saying the country could not attract investment in this stalled phase.The deal, known as the Memorandum of Understanding, was signed by US President Donald Trump in June and set a 60-day deadline for ending the war with Iran and reaching an accord on its nuclear programme. That period ended last week, but there have been no signs of compromise, especially on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital to global shipping. Nearly six months into the war with the United States and Israel, Iran's economy is under strain from sanctions and a naval blockade. Meanwhile, the new head of Iran's top security body warned of retaliation if neighbouring countries support US threats to impose further sanctions on Tehran. Iran's judiciary-linked Mizan news agency said on Sunday that Majid Adineh was executed in the latest case linked to the protests. It said he was arrested on January 9 in Mohammadshahr, near Karaj, west of Tehran, and was carrying a handgun with 30 rounds of ammunition, two stun guns, two cans of tear gas and a battery-powered chainsaw. According to the judiciary, forensic examinations showed that the handgun had been fired on January 8 and 9. Mizan said Adineh had joined the unrest after calls by groups opposed to Iran's government and alleged that he had received training from groups outside the country. A Revolutionary Court in Karaj later convicted him under Iran's law prescribing tougher penalties for espionage and cooperation with hostile states. Mizan said the verdict accused him of carrying out operations on behalf of Israel, the United States and other groups Iran considers hostile.In Gaza, four-year-old Mohammed Taha was killed after an Israeli airstrike hit a house in the central town of Zawaida on Sunday, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which said at least five other people, including a child, were wounded. Residents said they received a warning from the Israeli military to evacuate the area where the house was located minutes before the strike. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement on Sunday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to "act immediately and forcefully" to prevent the launch of balloons, kites or drones from Gaza towards Israeli communities near the border. "We view every launch as an act of war in every respect," he said. Before the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led militants on Israel, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage, burning kites and balloons were sent from Gaza into southern Israel, causing fires and other damage. While the heaviest fighting has eased since a fragile ceasefire took hold in October, Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes that have killed more than 1,280 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. Gaza's Health Ministry said the overall death toll in the war has crossed 73,400 Palestinians. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, keeps detailed casualty records that UN agencies and independent experts see as generally reliable, though it does not separate civilians and militants. Israel says its strikes are in response to shooting attacks on troops and other violations by militants. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.In the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian man was beaten by an Israeli settler outside his home, while the Israeli military said it was pursuing a suspect in a separate stabbing attack. The incidents were the latest violence reported from the territory.Overall, Sunday's developments brought together Iran's effort to break the diplomatic deadlock, the latest execution linked to the protests, and continuing violence in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 23, 2026 18:14 IST