- Pezeshkian blames Israel for escalating conflict
- Iran willing to reopen nuclear negotiations
- Dismisses claims of Iran’s role in Ukraine war
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has accused Israel of intensifying tensions in the Middle East. Speaking during his first official visit to the U.S. at the UN General Assembly in New York, Pezeshkian warned that no one would benefit from a wider war in the region.
The reformist leader, who assumed office in July after advocating for improved relations with the West, emphasized that Israel is pushing for a broader conflict. “If a larger war erupts, it benefits no one, and Israel is the one seeking this escalation,” he said.
Tensions flared immediately after Pezeshkian’s inauguration, following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran—a killing widely attributed to Israel. The Iranian president said he had been urged to refrain from responding, based on promises of a forthcoming peace agreement, but those promises never materialized.
“We tried to hold back, but that elusive peace week never came,” he stated, expressing disappointment. Pezeshkian stressed that war offers no winners and criticized Israel for its actions, saying, “Every day, Israel commits more atrocities, killing innocent civilians, including children.”
Western diplomats are closely observing Pezeshkian’s presidency, which has so far been marked by regional conflicts. He avoided specifics on Israel’s recent attacks on Hezbollah, though he defended Iran’s response to the destruction of its consulate in Damascus. Pezeshkian claimed that Iranian forces demonstrated their deterrence capability by penetrating Israel’s Iron Dome defenses but refrained from causing civilian casualties.
During a one-hour conversation with predominantly U.S. journalists, Pezeshkian was critical of Western hypocrisy, accusing politicians of turning a blind eye to the atrocities in Gaza while promoting human rights elsewhere. He questioned why human rights violations by Israel are tolerated on the global stage.
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Pezeshkian also reiterated Iran’s openness to re-entering nuclear negotiations, affirming that the religious fatwa against developing nuclear weapons remains in place. He called the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, initiated by Donald Trump, “illegal and unjust.” He expressed willingness to resume talks and urged other parties to come to the table.
The Iranian president dismissed claims that Iran controls proxy militia groups hostile to Israel, stating that these groups act independently. He also addressed allegations about Iranian involvement in the war in Ukraine, stating that no short-range missiles had been sent to Russia during his tenure, distancing his government from the conflict.
Pezeshkian laughed off accusations that Iran was funding anti-Israel demonstrations, remarking that the country struggles to meet its own financial obligations, let alone fund protests abroad.
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