Iran's President Pezeshkian condemns U.S. actions in U.N. wartime speech

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, delivering a rare wartime speech from a country currently at odds with the United States. He spoke a day after President Donald Trump warned from the same podium that he would either negotiate a reconstruction deal with Tehran or “annihilate” the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian condemned the U.S. for labeling Iran a terrorist state and presented a portrait of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of U.S.–Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, along with photos of children he said were victims of a U.S. school bombing.

The speech came amid heightened tensions that have escalated since the February attacks, which Iran says were part of a coordinated U.S.–Israeli campaign. Trump’s remarks at the U.N. reiterated his administration’s refusal to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, while also hinting at a possible diplomatic settlement. U.S. officials later met with Iranian representatives for three hours, and Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told NPR that the administration is “internalizing what they brought to the table.” Iran’s foreign ministry, via spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, confirmed that messages have been exchanged through Qatar, with Tehran demanding an end to U.S. hostilities, the lifting of a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and the release of Iranian assets.

Pezeshkian denied that Iran seeks a nuclear weapon and rejected any limits on its civilian nuclear program. He emphasized that Iran is ready for dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations, but will not accept “the language of force.” The president’s appeal for negotiations was framed as a direct rebuke to Trump’s threats, and he warned that continued U.S. aggression would only deepen the crisis.

The next steps hinge on whether the United States will respond to Tehran’s conditions or maintain its hard‑line stance. Analysts say the exchange could shape the region’s security landscape for months, influencing not only nuclear talks but also broader Middle‑East stability. A diplomatic breakthrough could ease the humanitarian toll on civilians, while a failure to find common ground risks further escalation and a prolonged standoff at the UN.