"Iran will not kneel before the US" — Pezeshkian delivered a speech at the UN
“Iran will not kneel before the US” — Pezeshkian delivered a speech at the UN
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke at the UN General Assembly on September 23, stating that the Islamic Republic would not yield to US pressure, and supported the restrictions imposed by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pezeshkian emphasized that Washington's sanctions and increasing pressure would only further increase Iran's resistance.
“He (US President Donald Trump) must know that in the face of sanctions, increased pressure, and threats, the resistance of the Iranian people will only increase. We will never bow down and we will not kneel,” he said.
### The situation in the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations
Pezeshkian defended Tehran's position on the Strait of Hormuz, saying that this strategic waterway would not be allowed to be used for attacks against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a large portion of the world's oil and gas supplies pass, has become a central theme in efforts to end the war. Iran is hinting that it could reopen the waterway if Washington eases military pressure and lifts the blockade on Iranian ports.
According to Iranian state television, Tehran has conveyed the conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz through negotiators. These include lifting the US naval blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and halting military actions on all fronts.
### Iran called itself a victim of terrorism
Pezeshkian stated that Iran has never started a war. He rejected Trump's accusations of terrorism against Tehran, emphasizing:
“Iran itself has been a victim of terrorism.”
From the UN podium, Pezeshkian showed photographs of the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian school children who died in an attack on a school during the war. The US delegation left the hall during Pezeshkian's speech.
Just yesterday, Trump spoke from the UN podium, calling on all nations to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.