Iranian president lambasts Israeli, sanctions at UN General Assembly

NEW YORK: In a speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and lambasted West for crippling sanctions on his country.

The Iranian president described Israel’s actions in Gaza as amounting to genocide. He called for an urgent need for international intervention to protect innocent civilians.

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Pezeshkian criticised Israel of commuting genocide under the guise of self-defense.

The UNGA serves as the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organs of the United Nations. It provides a platform for member states to discujss and coordinate on a wide range of global uses.

The issues include peace, security, human rights and international law.

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This year’s assembly saw a diverse array of leaders address pressing global issue, chief of which was Israel atrocities in Gaza and Lebanon.

The Iranian president also addressed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He urged for a resolution through negotiations.

Pezeshkian talked about the importance of diplomatic dialogue in resolving conflicts and stressed that military solutions only exacerbated suffering and instability.

The Iranian leader also focused on the contentious issue of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

He expressed Iran’s willingness to engage in discussion to break the deadlock surrounding the agreement. Since United States president Donald Trump pulled out of the nuclear agreement in 2018, less than five years into the agreement, Iran ramped up its uranium enrichment programme.

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Pezeshkian stated that Iran was ready to meet with the involved parties to restore the deal, which aims to limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

The Iranian leader criticised the sanctions imposed on Iran, labeling them as inhumane. Pezeshkian highlighted the detrimental impact on ordinary Iranians.

He pointed out that these sanctions have exacerbated economic hardships for common Iranians, with access to essential goods and services deadlocked.

In closing, Pezeshkian stated that Iran was prepared to improve relations with the international community, signaling a potential shift in diplomatic engagement.

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His address at the 79th UNGA hints at Iran’s decision to open up the marker after suffering under rippling sanctions for years, and to engage more openly in diplomatic engagement.