“War was imposed on us, but we proved that we do not fear war to defend ourselves, nor do we shy away from negotiation for peace, and we stand ready to give our lives to defend beloved Iran,” he declared during his address.
Pezeshkian stressed, “Yesterday, the US president said that Iran is a terrorist. We are victims of terrorism. I come from a country where the leader was assassinated without any legal justification. I come from a country where a school was bombed.
“Look at the children of Minab, children who were bombed and killed. Israel and the United States used their weapons to kill our children; our children had committed no wrongdoing.”
He added, “Lamerd is a small city in Iran. Our children were playing sports in a gymnasium when the United States bombed the facility with cluster bombs that broke into thousands of fragments. They killed our scientists, people, women, and children. Terrorists and those who train terrorists label us as terrorists. We only defended ourselves; we are not terrorists.”
Referring to the enemy’s unjust attacks, the president said that the United States and Israel attacked Iran with the latest military equipment, but the Iranian people strongly defended their country. “They attacked us, but we did not bow to them. We responded to their attacks, but we did not target civilians”, he added.
Iran president at UNGA: ‘We do not fear war to defend ourselves’
Pezeshkian said, “They attacked our schools, hospitals, scientific centers, bridges and infrastructure, which was in violation of international law.”
‘Trust requires avoiding double standards’
The president added, “The theme of this session is ‘Rebuilding Trust’. Trust is not built by words. It requires us to avoid double standards. In this region, it is the Israeli regime that possesses the atomic bomb and other weapons of mass destruction. Yet it is Iran that is asked to submit to inspections!”
“Israel massacred 70,000 people in Gaza, yet it was Iran that was bombed while at the negotiating table! Israel has the atomic bomb. It is not a party to the NPT. Throughout its shameful existence, it has not allowed a single inspector into the occupied territories. Yet it is rewarded with billions of dollars’ worth of free weapons, and enjoys impunity to bomb whichever capital it chooses!” he added.
Pezeshkian underlined, “I repeat, the atomic bomb is in Israel, but the inspectors are in Iran! Israel kills, yet Iran is sanctioned! That is the tragedy.”
Iran president at UNGA: ‘We do not fear war to defend ourselves’
“If we seek justice, friend and rival must be judged by the same standard. And human rights must not become an instrument of geopolitical rivalry. Iran seeks no special privilege. It seeks equal rights and accepts the responsibilities that come with them,” he noted.
The president said, “Iran’s long history has taught it one clear truth: The world is dangerous for those who lack power. But a world that understands only the language of power is more dangerous still. If trust between nations is lost, even the strongest armies will be unable to create lasting security.”
Pezeshkian said, “If international law is enforced only when it suits the interests of the powerful, more countries will conclude that they must rely solely on their own power for their security. And that will mark the beginning of a more dangerous world for us all.”
World must not return to ‘rule of strongmen’
“We must not allow the twenty-first century to mark a return to the politics of force and the rule of strongmen. We must not build a world in which military power takes the place of legitimacy, sanctions the place of diplomacy, assassination the place of politics, and war the place of dialogue,” he added.
Pezeshkian said, “Iran will preserve its power, but it will not turn its wounds into hatred. It will defend itself, but it will not make war its children’s inheritance.”
“Iran extends a hand of cooperation to the world. Our appeal to the world is for peace and justice, not for another war; not out of weakness, but out of confidence in our own strength, and an understanding of this truth: No one in this region will be secure alone. Either we will build security together, or we will endure insecurity together,” he added.
The president underlined, “We seek to build a future in which security, justice and human dignity are inalienable rights shared by all nations. A future in which no nation is marginalized, no voice is drowned out by the clamor of power, and no power has the right to decide the future of others for them.”
“An order worthy of the name ‘international’ must rest on the equality of nations, justice, fairness and the common will of humanity. For peace that is not for all is not peace, and justice that does not extend to all is not justice,” he added.
‘Iran will not bow to language of force’
Returning to threats issued by Trump against the Iranian nation, Pezeshkian said, “The remarks made by the US president yesterday before the global public, thinkers, politicians and legal experts were a clear manifestation of bullying, the logic of force, and a blatant violation of the UN Charter. He should know that threats will make our nation more united and stronger and further strengthen the resistance of Iranians.
He should understand that the Iranian nation will not bow to force and will make aggressors regret their actions.”
The president said, “We are ready for dialogue, but let them know that we will not accept the language of force.”
