Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a defiant wartime address at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday and flashed photos of the victims of attack on Minab school and Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed at the beginning of the war in strikes by the United States and Israel.
During his speech, Pezeshkian said that they are not terrorists but have been victims of terrorism. “We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said.
“Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. And we defended ourselves with utmost strength. America and Israel attacked us,” he added.
Deep Dive
What did Iranian President Pezeshkian highlight in his UNGA speech regarding the Minab school attack?
Why did the US envoy walk out during Pezeshkian's speech at the UNGA?
How did Pezeshkian respond to accusations of Iran being a terrorist state during the UNGA?
The Iranian President also showed pictures of other attacks on the nation during the war, a moment during which, the United States envoy walked out.
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“Yesterday, the United States President described us as terrorists. We have been victims of terrorism. I come from an Iran in which our esteemed Supreme Leader was assassinated without any legal framework or reason. I come from an Iran where in truth, they bombed a school. These children perished under bombs, with weapons used by the United States and Israel. They were innocent, they had committed no crimes” Pezeshkian said at the beginning of his speech and he pulled out the pictures, following which the US representative is seen walking out.
{{/usCountry}}“Yesterday, the United States President described us as terrorists. We have been victims of terrorism. I come from an Iran in which our esteemed Supreme Leader was assassinated without any legal framework or reason. I come from an Iran where in truth, they bombed a school. These children perished under bombs, with weapons used by the United States and Israel. They were innocent, they had committed no crimes” Pezeshkian said at the beginning of his speech and he pulled out the pictures, following which the US representative is seen walking out.
{{/usCountry}}Iran's addressed came a day after the US President Donald Trump threatened to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” if no deal is reached to end the war.
"I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?" Trump said on Tuesday during his UNGA address.
‘Iran ready for diplomacy’
The Iranian President, by the end of his speech, called out Trump directly and said that it should be understood by him and others that Iran is ready for diplomacy but will not tolerate the “language of force”.
"It must be understood by Trump and those who seek to bully Iran that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,” Pezeshkian said.
He also claimed that it was Israel that possesses weapons of mass destruction but inspectors are sent to Iran.
“Atomic and nuclear weapons are in hands of Israel but inspectors are asked to come to Iran,” he said.
“Israel kills but Iran is subject to sanctions. This is a true tragedy. They kill, we are punished,” he added.