NEW YORK: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday welcomed the recently signed defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, describing it as a step toward building a broader regional security framework among Muslim nations. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons and has no intention of doing so in the future.
The Iranian leader sharply criticized Israel and the United States, accusing both of responsibility for the killing and starvation of children in Gaza and the violation of sovereignty across several Middle Eastern states. “Who is truly endangering regional and global stability?” he asked, pointing the finger at Tel Aviv and Washington.
According to Tehran’s official news agency IRNA, Pezeshkian hailed the Pakistan-Saudi pact as a milestone that could foster cooperation in political, security, and defence matters across West Asia. His remarks came just months after Israel and the US launched military strikes on Iran, and at a time when European powers are threatening new sanctions linked to Tehran’s nuclear program.
“I once again declare before this assembly: Iran has never sought, and will never seek, to build a nuclear bomb,” he said, adding that it is Israel not Iran that undermines peace in the region, yet Iran is the one that faces punishment.
The Iranian president also condemned European powers for what he called “bad faith” in their dealings with Tehran, arguing that their failure to honor commitments was a direct consequence of Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “They falsely portrayed themselves as responsible parties to the agreement while undermining Iran’s genuine efforts,” he said.
Holding up photographs of victims, Pezeshkian denounced what he called a “brutal” Israeli strike in June that killed more than 1,000 Iranians. “The aerial assaults by the Zionist regime and the United States against Iran’s cities and infrastructure, at a time when we were pursuing diplomatic negotiations, amounted to a grave betrayal of diplomacy,” he declared.
He accused the United States of backing crimes across the region under the guise of self-defence, pointing to destruction in Gaza, repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty, devastation in Syria, and assaults in Yemen. He warned that ignoring such violations could set dangerous precedents, including attacks on safeguarded nuclear sites, targeted assassinations of world leaders, and killings of experts simply because of their knowledge.
Pezeshkian also directed criticism at Britain, France, and Germany, saying the three had caved to US pressure and were now seeking to reimpose cancelled UN Security Council resolutions against Tehran. He further denounced what he described as Israel’s “criminal aggression” against Qatar, which left Palestinians and Qataris dead, affirming Iran’s solidarity with Doha.
Calling on the international community to restore the credibility of international institutions, Pezeshkian urged nations to work toward a regional cooperation system in West Asia. He concluded his address with an appeal to “turn threats into opportunities” and pursue a genuine framework for peace and stability.
