At the UN, Pezeshkian turned back terrorism charges against Iran’s critics

“Those who are terrorists… describe us using that word,” he replied.

From the Assembly podium, he held up a photo of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who he said was “killed without any legal framework or reason” in a joint US-Israel attack last February.

He then showed images of children he thought were killed in US-Israeli attacks on a school and gym, alongside photos of their graves.

“They are innocent. They have not committed any crime,” he stressed.

The Iranian leader declared: “We have become victims of terrorism.”

Over the past two centuries, Iran has not attacked other countries or regions, he said, rejecting accusations that Iran is a source of regional instability.

“We don’t bend the knee; we don’t bow our heads. We respond, but we don’t attack civilians,” he said.

Nuclear technology: No double standards

President Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran developed nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, not for weapons: “For sick people, it is medicine and medicine, for the agricultural sector, it is food security, and for industry, it is progress and advancement.”

At the same time, he strongly criticized “double standards” on the issue of nuclear development, stating that Israel, which is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has weapons of mass destruction but have never been inspected.

“The nuclear weapons are in Israel, but the supervisors are in Iran. Israel kills, but Iran is subject to sanctions,” he stressed.

Relentless support for Palestine

Iran’s president stressed his support for the Palestinian people, saying that 80,000 innocent civilians in Gaza had been “brutally murdered,” and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

“They commit genocide…then they label other people as terrorists,” he said, referring to Israel.

“Those who commit terrorism, are they protectors of peace and stability? They do not obey any international law,” he stressed, broadening his approach to turning the tide.

Iranian citizens return home

President Masoud Pezeshkian responded to the wave of popular protests that hit the Islamic Republic at the start of this year, and described the demonstrations not as resistance to the government, but as an expression of public support for the state and its authorities.

“The Iranian people, in the last 7 months, have taken to the streets every night to demonstrate in support of their homeland, their homeland, so as not to allow those who are equipped and trained and armed by Israel and America to cause disruption to the security of their country,” he said.

He ended his speech by referring to US President Trump, stating: “He should know that the Iranian people’s resistance will only increase in the face of sanctions, pressure and intimidation.”