TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif predicted on Saturday that there would be no war between the U.S. and Iran, however he said Washington should explain to the American people about its “dangerous moves” in the region.

“I am sure, as Leader of the Islamic Revolution has said, there will be no war, because neither we seek a war nor anyone can imagine any confrontation with Iran in the region. However, it is essential to clarify the U.S. dangerous moves for the people of this country,” he told IRNA before leaving Beijing for Tehran.

He added, “The reality is that Trump has said and reiterated recently that he does not seek war. However, there are people around him who push him towards war under the pretext that they want to make the U.S. powerful.”

Zarif noted that the U.S. priorities in politics are just in line with interests of the Zionist regime of Israel and certain reactionary countries in the region.

Tension has been increasing in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East region since the U.S. has made military threats against Iran and dispatched aircraft carrier to the regional waters and deployed Patriot missiles in certain regional countries.

Iranian officials and analysts have said the dispatch of carriers to the region are just a “psychological warfare” against Tehran.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out the possibility of war between the U.S. and Iran despite heightened tensions between the two sides.

Speaking at a large gathering of officials on Tuesday, the Leader said Washington knows that engaging in such a conflict would not be in its interest.

The Washington Post, citing several unnamed U.S. officials, reported late Wednesday that Trump was frustrated that his advisers may be rushing into war and that he preferred a more diplomatic approach and direct talks with Iran.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that the Trump administration does not have congressional authorization to go to war against Iran.

She told reporters that she backed what appeared to be U.S. President Donald Trump’s aversion to actual military conflict with Tehran, Reuters reported.

“I like what I hear from the president — that he has no appetite on this,” she said.

She noted, “This is part of a pattern that is not right because we have responsibilities — the responsibility in the Constitution is for the Congress to declare war, so I hope the president’s advisers recognize that they have no authorization to go forward in any way.”

NA/PA