Iranian president says ‘US attacked us, we acted in self-defence, we are not terrorists’

UNITED NATIONS, New York: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that Iran had acted in self-defence after being targeted by the United States and Israel, rejecting accusations that Tehran was a terrorist state.

“They attacked us, but we did not bow our heads,” Pezeshkian said in an address to the United Nations General Assembly.

“They targeted us and attacked us, but we only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said.

Pezeshkian questioned why Iran would attend the United Nations and address the General Assembly if it were a terrorist state.

“If we were terrorists, why would we be here today addressing the United Nations?” he said.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of violating international law and said Iran had responded to attacks but had not targeted civilian areas.

He said Iranian children, scientists and civilians had been targeted and accused the United States and Israel of attacking universities and hospitals.

“These are the things we have been facing, while the United States calls us terrorists,” Pezeshkian said.

The Iranian president also referred to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, saying Israel targeted Haniyeh on the day of his presidential inauguration.

Pezeshkian said Iran responded to the attacks but maintained that it had not targeted civilian areas.

During his address, the Iranian president displayed photographs of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and children, according to Iranian media reports.

Pezeshkian said the Iranian people had been demonstrating against what he described as aggression for seven months and remained the country’s main source of strength.

“We do not need anyone’s permission to protect and defend our country,” he said, adding that Iran would not bow before what he called oppression.

The speech came amid the continuing US-Iran conflict and heightened diplomatic activity in New York during the UN General Assembly. US President Donald Trump warned Iran in his own UN address on Tuesday that Washington could “annihilate” the country if a peace agreement was not reached.

“Israel is not a signatory to the NPT and still has nuclear weapons, while it has killed so many people. Yet, we are the ones facing sanctions,” the Iranian president added.

Pezeshkian said that Tehran would not surrender and had the right to defend itself, while insisting that Iran’s nuclear programme was intended for peaceful purposes.

“We will not surrender under any circumstances,” he said, adding that Iran would not bow to what he described as oppression.

He said Iran was living in a region where, he claimed, wars were imposed without justification and accused the United States and Israel of attacking his country.

“The United States attacked Iran and we targeted US bases,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran had acted in self-defence.

He said Iran had been attacked with advanced weapons and technology but its people had remained steadfast.

Pezeshkian said Iran did not need permission from any country to protect and defend itself.

He also defended Iran’s right to nuclear energy, saying it was a legal right when used for peaceful purposes.

“Iran needs nuclear energy, not a nuclear bomb,” he said, adding that nuclear energy was part of the country’s development.

Pezeshkian said Iran did not accept a situation in which a few countries had a monopoly over nuclear energy.

He also said Tehran did not seek its own security at the expense of the security of other countries.

Strait of Hormuz

Pezeshkian said Iran could not allow some countries to have unrestricted movement through the Strait of Hormuz while launching operations against Iran.

He accused the US of obstructing Iran’s waterways and attacking its vessels.

Pezeshkian said regional countries should resolve regional problems themselves and should not become “pawns” of outside powers.

“Regional problems should be resolved by the people and countries of the region,” he said.

Gaza and civilian casualties

Pezeshkian also raised the situation in Gaza, asking the international community what fault innocent Palestinians had committed.

He said thousands of Palestinian children had been killed or wounded.

He questioned whether Iran had no right to defend itself while accusing the United States and Israel of attacking Iran.

Pezeshkian said Iranian children, scientists and civilians had been targeted and alleged that universities and hospitals had also come under attack.

Nuclear talks

Pezeshkian said Iran had held several rounds of negotiations but accused Israel of sabotaging the talks.

He said Tehran had honoured a memorandum of understanding and maintained that Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons.

“We do not fear a war in which we are defending ourselves,” he said.

Pezeshkian said Israel carries out massacres while Tehran faces sanctions, calling it a double standard.

“We want cooperation to achieve security and we want strong neighbours,” Pezeshkian said.

He said Iran believed in diplomacy but would not bow to pressure from military power.

“Sanctions on Iran are regrettable,” the Iranian president said.