By Parisa Hafezi and Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) – 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.
In a wartime address to the 193-member UN General Assembly, Pezeshkian said threats would only harden Iran’s resolve, rejecting Trump’s warning that he could annihilate Iran if no deal were reached.
“The remarks made by the US president yesterday … are a sign of a bullying mentality. … The Iranian people will not bow to pressure. … Those who are terrorists and train terrorists call us terrorists,” he said, referring to Trump’s description of Iran as the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.
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.
The United States delegation walked out at the start of Pezeshkian’s speech. The US mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pezeshkian began his address by accusing the United States of killing civilians during the war, holding up photos that included an image of schoolgirls in a classroom.
A missile strike on a primary school in Minab on February 28 – hours after US and Israeli attacks on Iran launched the conflict – killed more than 175 children and teachers, according to Iranian officials.
The Pentagon has not publicly released the findings of its investigation into the Minab strike, the deadliest civilian-casualty incident involving the US military in decades. Reuters reported on March 5 that an initial internal US military investigation found US forces were likely responsible for the strike.
Pezeshkian said Iran had no intention to seek nuclear bombs, but would not give up its right to a peaceful nuclear program.
“Neither nuclear weapons nor giving up nuclear knowledge,” he said.
Seven months into a conflict that has rattled markets and pushed the Gulf to the brink of a wider war, Washington is unleashing an unprecedented economic offensive after military action failed to force Tehran to yield.
Iranian leaders fear a worsening economy, marked by surging prices, weaker trade and pressure on household incomes, could reignite nationwide unrest that has repeatedly challenged the Islamic Republic.
The Strait of Hormuz, conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, has become a focus of tensions between Iran and the US.
Tehran has conveyed its conditions to reopen the strategic waterway to the United States through mediators, Iranian sources told Reuters on Tuesday.
“It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway. The permanent deployment of hostile fleets and the expansion of the war will not lead to peace,” Pezeshkian said.
(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi, writing by Michelle Nichols and Parisa Hafezi, editing by Howard Goller)
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