Iran's president declared at the UN General Assembly that his country will not bow to intimidation, affirming their nuclear development is for peaceful purposes and rejecting the idea that this technology should be held exclusively by a small group.
On Wednesday, 23 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) amid the ongoing conflict between Iran, the U.S., and Israel entering its seventh month, emphasizing his stance against submitting to threats and calling for justice for his country.
Pezeshkian responded to U.S. President Donald Trump's speech from the previous day, which labeled Iran as a terrorist state, countering that “Iran is actually the victim of terrorism.”
He cited the attack on an elementary school in Minab city on 28 Nov, which he attributed to the U.S. and Israel, resulting in at least 120 children and 26 teachers killed, as well as the assassinations of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several Iranian scientists.
Meanwhile, as Pezeshkian spoke about the killings of children and civilians, the sole U.S. representative in the meeting room immediately walked out.
The Iranian president also affirmed that Iran's nuclear technology is intended for “peaceful progress,” such as agriculture and electricity production, and not for creating weapons to threaten others.
He stated firmly that Iran does not accept nuclear technology being exclusive to a handful of countries and will not relinquish this legitimate right, explicitly saying Iran “does not want nuclear weapons but opposes restrictions on peaceful nuclear technology.”
Pezeshkian pointed out that developing defense systems and military strength is necessary to prevent anyone from planning bombings of Iranian cities and escaping without retaliation.
He declared Iran will not allow any country to use the Strait of Hormuz to invade or destabilize Iran, while simultaneously barring Tehran’s access to its own waters—a reference to U.S. maritime blockade measures aimed at intercepting Iranian cargo ships and sealing Iranian ports.
Pezeshkian warned Trump that pressure, sanctions, and bullying will only increase Iranian resistance and determination.
He emphasized, “Iran will never bow or submit,” cautioning that a world relying on military force over legitimacy, terrorism over politics, and war over dialogue will be an unsafe world.
Iran is ready to cooperate globally for true peace, believing no one in the region can be safe alone: “If we do not build shared security, we must face insecurity together,” the Iranian president said.
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Source:cnn