Iran's ambassador to Sweden, Hojatollah Faghani, told SVT's Aktuellt that the region could see peace and friendship if US forces leave the area. He defended Iran's counterattacks following US and Israeli strikes and dismissed many war reports as rumors.
In an interview on SVT's Aktuellt on March 17, 2026, Iran's ambassador to Sweden, Hojatollah Faghani, addressed the ongoing war between Iran, the US, and Israel. The US and Israel struck Iran at the end of February, killing several high-ranking regime figures, including a leader, his family, and commanders. Faghani stated: 'The killing of our leader, his family, and some of our commanders has shown that Iran is not dependent on individuals.' Iran has launched counterattacks on US and Israeli military targets in several regional countries, but reports indicate civilian areas like residential zones were also hit. The ambassador claims no neighbors were targeted and actions followed international law: 'Those attacked have the right to defend themselves. Therefore, we have not attacked our neighbors. We like our neighbors.' He said civilian facilities were hit because US soldiers were hiding there. 'If the US military leaves the area, which I hope for, our region will consist of peace and friendship.' Faghani attributes Iran's poverty and high inflation to 47 years of sanctions, dismissing statistics as exaggerated. Earlier protests in Iran were violently suppressed; the regime reports over 3,000 deaths, while sources like HRANA and the health department cite over 30,000. An analysis by Samir Abu Eid describes the ambassador's demeanor as soft but the regime as hardline, noting strikes on civilian targets like Dubai airport and a Bahrain water plant.
