Iran's President Pezeshkian Addresses UN, Criticizes US and Israel

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that Iran will never "bend the knee" after nearly seven months of conflict with the US and Israel, but remains open to a diplomatic resolution. Responding to US President Donald Trump's threat to "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if a deal isn't reached soon, Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly, "The resistance of the Iranian people will only increase in the face of sanctions, increased pressure, increased bullying." Pezeshkian also insisted that any agreement must include an end to the US blockade preventing Iranian ships from using a crucial Gulf waterway. "It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access," he stated. The US delegation walked out of the chamber as Pezeshkian began his address, and there was no immediate comment from the US. Pezeshkian referred to Trump's description of Iran as terrorists, asserting that Iran has been the victim of terrorism. He displayed a photograph of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike on his residence during a joint US-Israeli attack in late February. He also presented images of over 175 civilians, predominantly children, who Iranian authorities claim were killed in missile strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd on the same day. The US has denied striking Lamerd and is investigating the Minab incident. "Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed on our country. And we defended ourselves with utmost strength," Pezeshkian declared. Separately, an attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz resulted in the death of an Indian sailor, according to Agence France-Presse, citing Omani and Indian authorities. India's foreign ministry condemned the attack and called for the restoration of unimpeded passage through the Strait. In February, Iran retaliated against the extensive US-Israeli air campaign with missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states hosting US military bases. Iran also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments, by targeting commercial vessels in the Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea. The US responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ports and ships in April. A preliminary agreement reached in June between the US and Iran to end the war and reopen the strait collapsed within weeks after renewed Iranian attacks on shipping and the reinstatement of the US blockade. Iran seeks to maintain some control over the strait and collect fees from vessels using it, a demand rejected by the US. In his UN General Assembly address, Trump stated he faced a "big decision" – either negotiate a deal for Iran's reconstruction or "annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly." Pezeshkian characterized this threat as indicative of a "bullying mentality." "He must know that the resistance of the Iranian people will only increase in the face of sanctions, increased pressure, increased bullying. We will never bow our head or bend the knee," he said, while adding, "We are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force." Pezeshkian reiterated that the US blockade must end as part of any deal. "It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway." He also reaffirmed Iran's right to a civilian nuclear program, stating, "We say it clearly: no nuclear weapons and no limitations on peaceful nuclear technology." Trump had argued in his speech that the war had prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb and demanded that its leaders "relinquish their nuclear ambitions." On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff held indirect talks, facilitated by Qatari mediators, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Witkoff expressed hope that the discussions, the first since June, would be "constructive and promising," with mediators continuing their efforts. However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai described the talks as "not anything new" and stated that Araghchi had upheld Iran's conditions, including the cessation of the US blockade and the release of frozen Iranian assets.