Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has said his country is open to admitting international inspectors to prove its nuclear program is "peaceful," in comments marking the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, as US naval forces stand poised in the region for possible military strikes.
"We are not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. We have stated this repeatedly and are ready for any verification," he said on February 11, at anniversary celebrations taking place against a backdrop of a deadly crackdown in which security forces killed thousands of people attending mass nationwide protests last month.
Videos posted overnight from February 10-11 showed fireworks in Tehran in celebration of the anniversary -- even as many mourned dead loved ones.
On the videos, people could also be heard defiantly crying "death to the dictator" and "death to Khamenei," referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Iranians Shout 'Death To The Dictator' On Anniversary Of Islamic Revolution
The crackdown on protesters was strongly condemned by the United States and its allies and led to the US naval build up, with US President Donald Trump telling protesters that Washington was coming to support them.
"We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump said in an interview with Axios on February 10. The current US deployment is one the largest in the years.
After talks between US and Iranian teams in Oman on February 6, Washington imposed additional sanctions on Iran's oil sector. Further talks are expected but no date has been set.
Later on February 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in Washington to discuss the situation. A statement by Netanyahu's office said he wanted talks with Iran to include its ballistic missile program and support for armed proxies and Tehran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen.
Alexander Gray, who served on the National Security Council during Trump's first term in the White House, told RFE/RL these were the issues that would likely determine whether strikes are launched -- rather than efforts to help Iran's opposition.
SEE ALSO: Iran Insistent On Uranium Enrichment As US Navy Flotilla Sails In Arabian Sea"He doesn't want to see these brutal crackdowns. But I think the president's also a realist," he said. "From a fundamental US interest standpoint, as much as we decry the horrific human rights abuses, I think we are most likely to be effective in advocating for changes to their proxy behavior and their missile and nuclear programs."
US Vice President JD Vance appeared to confirm this as he departed from a visit to Azerbaijan on February 11.
"If the Iranian people want to overthrow the regime, that's up to the Iranian people. What we're focused on right now is the fact that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon. That's been the focus of the president's policy, even going back to the first administration," he said.