Lashing back at Trump at UN, Iranian leader calls US and Israel the aggressors

His voice rising, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a furious rebuke Wednesday of U.S. President Donald Trump, who, from the very same podium at the United Nations General Assembly 24 hours earlier, had threatened to wipe out his country.“The U.S. president described us as terrorists,” Mr. Pezeshkian told world leaders. “We have been victims of terrorism,” he added, just before waving photos of Iranian schoolgirls killed in a U.S. airstrike on Feb. 28, the day the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran.Mr. Pezeshkian began his speech at the annual summit by holding up a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader who also was killed on the first day of strikes. He quickly unleashed against Israel, Iran’s longtime archfoe, describing its actions in the Gaza war as genocide. He repeated the Iranian argument that the Islamic Republic seeks nuclear technology for civilian and not military purposes – “for progress, not to threaten societies with weapons.”And he accused Israel of building a nuclear bomb, but without the international repercussions and sanctions his country has faced. “The nuclear weapon is in Israel, but the inspectors are in Iran,” he said. Israel has never confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons, but for decades has maintained it would not be the first country in the region to use such weapons.Mr. Trump vowed in his U.N. address on Tuesday that he would never let Iran secure nuclear weapons. Preventing Tehran, which has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, from developing a bomb was the chief stated aim for going to war. Mike Segar/ReutersThe U.S. delegation's seats at the United Nations sit empty as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addresses the General Assembly, in New York, Sept. 23, 2026. Mr. Pezeshkian presented Iran as seeking peace and stability, drawn into a war of self-defense by the U.S. and Israel, whom he described as the real aggressors and agents of instability. “They imposed the war on us, but we have proven we are not afraid of war,” he said. “We will not bow our heads and give up the right inherently ours. We say clearly no nuclear weapons and no limitations to nuclear technology.”His remarks included no mention of Iran’s sponsorship of its allies in what has been dubbed the “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis in Yemen, all defined as terror organizations by the U.S.Mr. Pezeshkian’s very presence in New York is remarkable for more than one reason. It marks the first time in history that the leader of a country at war with the United States has attended the U.N. General Assembly. And Mr. Pezeshkian has been criticized at home by Iran’s powerful hard-liners for a willingness to negotiate, or even to go to New York. Deepen your worldviewwith Monitor Highlights.Politics with respectGet political stories with respectful analysis.There‘s a world of new ideas in everyBooks newsletter.There‘s more to life, enrich yours withCulture & Learning weekly.Follow humanity‘s discoveries withScience & Nature stories in your inbox.Gain a spiritual perspectivefrom the stories in your inbox.Want to understand the deeper impact of critical events? Learn the Monitor‘s insight.Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. Reflecting the fine line he’s walking, he concluded his speech to applause in the hall, saying, “We will never bow our heads or bend our knees. We are ready for dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations, but will never accept the language of force.”Despite the defiant U.S. and Iranian exchanges, Mr. Trump confirmed that U.S. and Iranian representatives did meet Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. gathering. ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LoginReal news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.