NEW YORK – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Iran will not surrender in the face of US military power, while stressing that Tehran remains committed to diplomacy to end the conflict.
Addressing the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, Pezeshkian began his speech by displaying photographs of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and schoolchildren in Minab who, he said, were killed in US and Israeli attacks.
He accused the United States of using cluster bombs against an Iranian town, resulting in the deaths of civilians, women and children.
Pezeshkian said attacks on hospitals and schools had disregarded international law, resulting in hundreds of deaths and forcing thousands of people from their homes.
“We are not terrorists; we are defending ourselves against aggression,” the Iranian president said. He maintained that Iran had exercised its right to self-defence and that its retaliatory strikes had targeted US military objectives rather than civilians.
Criticising what he described as double standards in the international community, Pezeshkian said, “Israel carries out massacres, while sanctions are imposed on Iran. This is a double standard.”
Responding strongly to US President Donald Trump’s remarks, Pezeshkian said Trump had labelled Iran as a terrorist state despite what he described as Iran itself being a victim of terrorism.
He said those who were themselves terrorists were accusing Iran of terrorism.
Pezeshkian also warned the US president that threats and intimidation would only unite the Iranian people.
Speaking about regional security and waterways, the Iranian president said the Strait of Hormuz could not be allowed to be used for transporting weapons that would subsequently be used against Iran.
The US delegation walked out of the UN General Assembly shortly after Pezeshkian began his speech.
