Iran's Pezeshkian Tells UN 'We Will Never Bow Our Head' in Defiant Reply to Trump

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to deliver a pointed rebuttal to US President Donald Trump, a day after Trump told the same chamber he was weighing whether to "annihilate" Iran and drive it "into hell."

"We Are Not Terrorists"

Pezeshkian opened his speech by holding up photographs of children he said had been killed in American and Israeli strikes on Iran, using the images to accuse Washington and Tel Aviv of fuelling instability across the region. He told delegates that Iran had "only defended" itself and was "not terrorists," pushing back directly against language used by US officials during the nearly seven-month conflict between the two countries.

Addressing Trump by name later in his remarks, Pezeshkian said the American president and others "seeking to bully" Iran needed to understand that Tehran remained open to "dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations," but only on terms that did not involve what he called "the language of force." He maintained that Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology was intended "for progress, not to threaten societies with weapons," and said the country wanted to "cooperate and collaborate" on regional security.

A Day After Trump's Warning

The speech came less than 24 hours after Trump, addressing the same General Assembly, said the United States was "settling years of unfinished business" with Iran and suggested he was still deciding whether to escalate the conflict further, while also floating the possibility of a deal after November's midterm elections. A walkout by delegates was reported during portions of Trump's remarks, and a similar walkout by a US delegate was reported during Pezeshkian's address.

The exchange underscores how deeply the Iran conflict has come to dominate this year's UN high-level week, overshadowing other agenda items even as nearly 130 heads of state and government take the podium over several days, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Why It Matters

Neither leader's remarks signalled any immediate shift in position, but the back-to-back speeches make clear that a negotiated resolution remains distant. Trump's suggestion that talks might wait until after the US midterm elections points to a conflict that could stretch on for months more, with implications for global oil markets, shipping routes through the Gulf, and Western alliances already strained by the war's duration. Indian markets, along with other emerging economies, have been watching crude oil price swings tied to the conflict closely, given India's heavy reliance on imported oil.

Diplomats at the UN said further statements from both sides are expected as the general debate continues through the rest of the week.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.