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Amirul Islam, New York: Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has adopted a firm stance against the United States and Israel at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. He stated that Iran is merely defending itself and will never yield to pressure. Concurrently, addressing US President Donald Trump, he conveyed that Tehran is prepared for dialogue and diplomacy, although it will not accept the language of force.
Speaking at the UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Pezeshkian asserted that the Iranian people are ‘victims of US terrorism’. In his speech, delivered amidst ongoing conflict on the UN platform, accusations were made against Washington and Tel Aviv for launching attacks on Iran.
During his address, Pezeshkian displayed images of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian schoolchildren who were killed in the early stages of the war.
The Iranian President emphasized that his country has only acted in self-defense. Claiming that Iran is not a terrorist state, he stated that innocent Iranians have been targeted, and in response, his country has defended itself with all its might.
Referring to US attacks, Pezeshkian declared that despite being attacked, Iran has not bowed down. Towards the end of his speech, he directly mentioned US President Donald Trump by name.
Pezeshkian stated that Trump and those who seek to exert pressure on Iran must understand that Tehran is ready for discussion, diplomacy, and compromise; however, it will not accept the language of force or threats.
Following Pezeshkian’s remarks, US and Israeli officials criticized them. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioned Iran’s human rights record, stating that Tehran’s position on others lecturing about international order or human rights is questionable.
Pezeshkian’s speech came a day after US President Donald Trump addressed the same platform. Trump threatened further significant military action if a quick resolution to the nearly seven-month-long conflict with Iran was not achieved.
However, news of diplomatic engagements also emerged on the same day. Trump revealed that his two top representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had engaged in discussions with Iranian officials for nearly three hours. The US President described the meeting as ‘very good’ but did not disclose the details of the discussions.
Tehran, however, downplayed the significance of that contact. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghai stated that there was nothing new in the indirect discussions facilitated by Qatar. Tehran also reiterated its demand for the lifting of sanctions on Iranian ports and the release of frozen Iranian assets from the US.
For over a year, intermittent discussions have been ongoing between the US and Iran, but no permanent solution has yet been reached. Meanwhile, attacks and tensions continue around the Strait of Hormuz, and commercial shipping remains lower than pre-war levels.
In this situation, Pezeshkian’s speech from the UN platform conveys both a strong message of resistance against the US and an indication of keeping the door open for conditional discussions.