Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, telling the United Nations General Assembly that Iran will not surrender while maintaining that diplomacy remains possible.
Speaking in New York on Wednesday, September 23, Pezeshkian delivered a strongly worded response to Trump’s warning a day earlier that the United States could “annihilate” Iran if an agreement to end the conflict could not be reached. Pezeshkian described the American president’s remarks as reflecting what he called a “bullying mentality” and said threats would strengthen rather than weaken Iran’s resolve.
“The Iranian people will not bow to pressure,” Pezeshkian said during his address to the 193-member General Assembly. He also rejected the idea that Tehran should abandon its position under military or economic pressure, insisting that Iran would continue defending what it considers its national interests.
At the same time, the Iranian president stopped short of closing the door to negotiations. He repeatedly said Tehran remained prepared to pursue diplomacy as a way of ending the conflict, while arguing that any agreement must be based on negotiations rather than threats or coercion. The remarks came as U.S. and Iranian officials continued efforts to explore a possible diplomatic settlement, although the two sides remain far apart on major issues.
One of the central disputes concerns Iran’s nuclear programme. Pezeshkian said Iran would not give up what it regards as its right to peaceful nuclear technology, while maintaining that Tehran does not seek nuclear weapons. His position reflects Iran’s long-standing argument that civilian nuclear activities should not be prohibited simply because of international concerns about the potential military use of nuclear technology.
The speech also highlighted the deep political divide between Washington and Tehran. The U.S. delegation reportedly walked out of the General Assembly chamber at the beginning of Pezeshkian’s address, underscoring the strained relations between the two governments.
Pezeshkian also presented photographs of people he said had been killed during attacks on Iran, using the images to argue that Iranian civilians had suffered during the conflict. The United States has disputed responsibility for some of the incidents cited by Tehran.
The latest exchange at the United Nations illustrates the difficult balance facing both sides. Washington continues to demand a resolution to the conflict and has maintained pressure on Tehran, while Iran insists that negotiations must respect its sovereignty and national interests.
With the conflict continuing and diplomatic positions still sharply divided, the coming discussions could determine whether the confrontation moves toward a negotiated settlement or further escalation. For now, both governments are publicly maintaining firm positions while leaving diplomacy open as a possible route forward