ERBIL () — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone at the United Nations on Wednesday, saying Tehran would not surrender to US pressure as he delivered his first major address since Washington and Israel launched an all-out war against Iran.
“We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,” Pezeshkian said, warning that increased sanctions, pressure, and what he described as bullying would only strengthen the resistance of the Iranian people.
Pezeshkian accused Washington of “terrorism” over the killing of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the beginning of the war. He held up a photograph of Khamenei during his address and insisted that Tehran had never initiated a war.
His speech came a day after US President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly that he was considering whether to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran failed to reach a deal. Trump later said US and Iranian officials had held what he described as a “very good” and “productive” meeting on the sidelines of the UN gathering.
Pezeshkian did not refer directly to those talks in his address, instead emphasizing Iran’s resistance to US demands.
The Iranian president also warned against using the Strait of Hormuz as a means of pressuring or attacking Iran.
“We cannot let some have free access and bolster their interests from the waterway, while at the same time using that waterway to impose their aggression upon us,” he said.
The conflict and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to higher global energy prices, adding pressure to economies and consumers. Trump has linked the Iran war and energy prices to the political environment ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
Pezeshkian’s appearance at the UN had initially been uncertain because of questions over whether Washington would issue him a visa. The United States ultimately approved his visit but denied visas to several members of his delegation, including his communications team.
The address marked Pezeshkian’s first appearance at the UN since the war began and came as Washington and Tehran continued indirect diplomatic contacts aimed at resolving the conflict.
