Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was met with boos from anti-government demonstrators and a walkout by the U.S. delegation as he defended Tehran’s conduct, rejected accusations of terrorism and insisted Iran seeks peaceful nuclear technology during a combative United Nations address.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian faced protests outside the United Nations and a walkout by the U.S. delegation Wednesday as he used his General Assembly address to portray Iran as a victim rather than an aggressor in its conflict with the United States and Israel.
The confrontation unfolded one day after President Donald Trump used the same U.N. podium to threaten further military action if Tehran does not reach an agreement with Washington.
Pezeshkian was greeted by audible boos from a “Free Iran” rally outside U.N. headquarters as his appearance was announced, according to a Fox News report. Anti-government demonstrators had gathered in New York during the General Assembly to protest executions and repression in Iran.
Once Pezeshkian began speaking, members of the American delegation stood and left the General Assembly hall. Video of the U.S. walkout during the address circulated as Pezeshkian challenged Trump’s description of the Iranian government.
“The U.S. president described us as terrorists: We have been the victims of terrorism,” Pezeshkian said.
He maintained that Iran had “only defended ourselves” and accused Washington and Israel of initiating hostilities.
The United States has designated Iran a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984. State Department reporting has documented Tehran’s support for groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Iran-aligned militias operating elsewhere in the Middle East.
Pezeshkian rejected that characterization and presented Iran as an unwilling participant in the continuing conflict.
“Iran has never, ever been an aggressor, has never started a war, and has always shown her commitment to the negotiating table,” he claimed.
The Iranian president displayed photographs of children he said were killed during U.S. military strikes in Operation Epic Fury and argued that Iran had “committed no crimes.” The images were part of his effort to focus attention on Iranian civilian casualties and challenge the American account of the war.
The broader message amounted to Iran portraying itself as an unwilling casualty of what Pezeshkian described as the “chaos of power” in the Middle East, according to the Washington Examiner.
Pezeshkian also used his speech to dispute international scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program while pointing to Israel’s longstanding policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities.
“Atomic and nuclear bombs are in the hands of the Israeli regime, but the inspectors are requested to come to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he alleged.
Israel has historically neither confirmed nor denied possessing nuclear weapons.
Iran, meanwhile, maintains that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes. Pezeshkian reiterated that position Wednesday, declaring that Tehran does not seek nuclear weapons while insisting it will not relinquish what it considers its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
“We will not bow our heads in developing the right that is inherently ours,” Pezeshkian said during the address. “We say it clearly no nuclear weapons and no limitations to peaceful nuclear technology. Our peace will not come on the field of battle.”
Questions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program have remained a central point of conflict between Tehran and Washington. International monitoring has previously shown Iran enriching uranium to levels substantially above those commonly used for commercial nuclear power, while Iranian leaders have continued to deny that the country intends to build a nuclear weapon.
Trump reiterated the opposite concern during his General Assembly speech Tuesday, declaring that preventing Iran from acquiring such a weapon remains a central U.S. objective. The White House quoted Trump describing Iran as “the number one sponsor of terror” and saying, “I will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Pezeshkian also turned to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Gaza, where Hamas — a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that has received Iranian support — has remained one of Tehran’s principal regional allies.
“Palestine remains an open wound on the conscience of the international community,” Pezeshkian said. “Our regional issues must be resolved in the region — at the hands of the countries in the region — without [becoming] a toy in the hands of outside aggressors.”
He presented Tehran as willing to negotiate while rejecting talks conducted under military pressure.
“We will never bow our heads or bend our knees. We are ready for dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiations but will never accept the language of force.”
Pezeshkian’s appearance followed Trump’s address by only a matter of hours. Members of Iran’s delegation had walked out during Trump’s remarks Tuesday as the president issued some of his strongest warnings yet against Tehran amid the continuing conflict.
Trump told the General Assembly that he faced a decision between reaching an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or dramatically escalating American military action.
“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”
Trump also threatened driving Iran “into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness for generations.”
Despite the rhetoric, diplomatic contacts continued almost immediately afterward. U.S. officials engaged Iranian representatives through intermediaries for hours following Trump’s speech, underscoring the simultaneous military confrontation and diplomatic effort between the two countries.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded Wednesday by reiterating that the administration’s overriding requirement is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“I think the Iranians are under this illusion that Democrats are going to win in November, and the president will no longer be able to do things against them,” Rubio said. “I just don’t think they understand our system very well.”
“Iran can never have a nuclear weapon: Everything emanates from that,” he added.
Rubio said Washington remained open to an agreement but linked progress to Iran’s nuclear program, support for regional armed groups and terrorism.
“As the president said, he’s open to a deal,” Rubio said. “The president’s open still to this moment, to making a deal with Iran that allows Iran to be what it should be, which is a great and prosperous country.”
“But if they continue to insist on the desire for nuclear weapon, their support for proxies in the region, that their support of terrorism, they’re the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, then we’re going to have big problems with them.”
The competing speeches illustrated the gulf between the two governments even as negotiations continued behind the scenes.
Pezeshkian sought to portray Iran as a country defending itself against U.S. and Israeli military action, insisting Tehran wants diplomacy and civilian nuclear energy rather than nuclear weapons. Washington maintains that Iran’s nuclear activities, support for armed proxies and longstanding sponsorship of designated terrorist organizations remain central security threats.
Wednesday’s walkout mirrored the Iranian delegation’s departure during Trump’s address a day earlier, leaving the General Assembly as another stage for the increasingly public confrontation between Washington and Tehran even as representatives of both governments continued exploring a possible negotiated end to the conflict.
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