On one side, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an ultimatum to attack 18 American tech companies; on the other, the president penned an open letter to the American people stating "Iran never started a war." Tehran's dual approach of soft and hard tactics is now fully exposed.
Timing of the Open Letter and Trump's Dual Track
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian released an open letter via state media on Wednesday, asserting that Iran's military deployments are solely for "legitimate self-defense" and accusing Washington of deliberately maintaining tensions in the Middle East to justify its long-term military presence. The timing is notable: Trump has recently hinted at accepting a ceasefire request from Iran, but with the precondition of "reopening the Strait of Hormuz," while also threatening to "bomb Iran back to the Stone Age." Washington is also reportedly evaluating military options to seize Iran's enriched uranium.
By bypassing the White House and addressing the American public directly, Pezeshkian is engaging in a information warfare campaign aimed at domestic U.S. opinion, according to the Wall Street Journal. The goal is not to persuade Trump to return to the negotiating table, but to undermine domestic support for continued military action.
Victim Narrative and Information War
The Wall Street Journal noted that Pezeshkian deliberately portrays Iran as the "historically peaceful side" in U.S.-Iran relations, emphasizing a past foundation of good diplomatic interaction. He warns that sustained U.S. military operations will bring long-term instability, suggesting Tehran is not refusing dialogue — Washington has shut the door. The open letter avoids direct retaliatory rhetoric over the attack on Khamenei, instead adopting a victim narrative that frames Iran as a defensive party forced into conflict. The core strategy is to "present itself as willing to engage while blaming the conflict on the U.S."
IRGC Sharpens Knives, Stark Contrast
Yet Pezeshkian's peaceful overture stands in stark contrast to another force within Iran's establishment. Just two days before the letter, the IRGC named Nvidia, Apple, Meta, and 15 other U.S. companies, threatening that "if another assassination occurs, the relevant departments will be destroyed" and demanding immediate employee evacuation. The IRGC's escalating threats directly offset the president's olive branch.
The Wall Street Journal suggests that Tehran's objective is not about negotiations per se, but about controlling the narrative. For markets, the letter might be briefly interpreted as a de-escalation signal, but with the IRGC continuing to raise threats, Middle East uncertainty remains high. What matters is not what the open letter says, but whether both sides take actual military de-escalation steps in the next 48 hours.