President of Iran Slams Israel, Rejects Claims of Nuclear Bomb Pursuit

United Nations

Sphinx News: Ahmed Ali

As he addressed the General Assembly in New York City, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced Israel as “lawless marauders,” while making it clear that the Islamic Republic has no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons.

Pezeshkian opened his speech by invoking the universal principle of empathy—rooted in religious scripture and social teaching—arguing that this principle has been undermined by an international force that now “acts with impunity.” He described Israel as “the disturber of stability in the world, the actual threat against international peace and security, and the violator of the global maxim of mankind.”

“Just this past June,” he continued, “Iran was subjected to a flagrant act of aggression in contravention of the most elementary principles of international law.” He cited “the aerial assault of the Zionist regime and the United States of America against Iran’s cities, homes, and infrastructure” as brazen acts of belligerence and a grave dismissal of diplomacy. Referring again to Israel as “lawless marauders,” he said they had “inflicted a reckless blow to international trust and regional stability.”

Beyond its violations of Iran’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Pezeshkian argued that Israel’s onslaught in Gaza constitutes “such paralyzing breaches of international norms.” He condemned the indiscriminate killing of journalists and Palestinian civilians, labeling it “genocide,” and declared, “Iran will never bow before its aggressors.”

He further demanded that those aggressors be held accountable for “two years of genocide, mass starvation, the perpetration of apartheid within the occupied territories, and aggression against their neighbors.” The idea of a “Greater Israel,” he added, was “delusional,” and he vowed that Iran would continue to stand in solidarity with neighboring states against the Israeli administration, calling for concerted action to end the “Zionist regime’s” international impunity.

Turning to the issue of nuclear weapons and enriched uranium, Pezeshkian said Iran has been a victim of “psychological warfare and political propaganda.” He denounced the E3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) for triggering the snapback mechanism, claiming they “falsely presented themselves as parties of good standing.” The decision, he argued, had little legal basis and was politically motivated by the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA in pursuit of its collapse.

Pezeshkian forcefully rejected accusations that Iran seeks nuclear arms: “Iran DOES NOT SEEK NUCLEAR WEAPONRY. WE NEVER SOUGHT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, NOR DO WE EVER SEEK THEM.” He stressed that this rejection is not only political but also religious, rooted in principles upheld by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Looking to the future, Pezeshkian affirmed Iran’s support for regional security initiatives, stating that the Islamic Republic “welcomes the defensive pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as a framework for the security and self-defense of Western Muslim states.” He condemned Israeli violations of international law in relation to Qatar and called for greater cooperation on regional security.

He concluded his address with an urgent appeal to end the violence in Gaza: “Those criminals who bury children are not worthy of being called human.”