Iran President Pezeshkian accused the US of disregarding international law and said Iran must remain powerful enough to deter any threats.

Iranian President Pezeshkian tells Trump Iran is ready for dialogue but will “never bend the knee”, while defending Tehran’s nuclear rights at UNGA.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday (Sept 23) accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, saying his country and its people had become “victims of terrorism” in his address to the UN General Assembly.

"We need strength to be able to defend ourselves," Pezeshkian said.

Tehran, Iran – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his team are heading to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where they are expected to express grievances about the United States’ war on Iran, but also look at ways of resolving it.

UNGA 2026 LIVE: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the UNGA today and said that Tehran has been a victim of “terrorism”. “We did not hit civilian population,” he said.

Iran President Pezeshkian accused the US of disregarding international law and said Iran must remain powerful enough to deter any threats.

Several times during his speech, Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to resolve tensions with the United States through negotiations, but warned that Tehran would not accept the language of force.

Trump says US and Iranian officials held a “very good” three-hour meeting at the UNGA in New York. Iranian media confirmed talks between Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff, with another meeting expected soon as Qatar urges diplomacy amid escalating Gulf tensions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused US President Donald Trump of a "bullying ​mentality" at the United Nations on Wednesday, saying Iran would not surrender in the war with the ‌US but remained open to diplomacy to end the conflict.