IRIA News

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly that his country will “never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” pushing back against growing Western pressure as the deadline nears for possible reimposition of UN sanctions.

The remarks come amid a 30-day process launched by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, collectively known as the E3, to restore UN sanctions against Iran over alleged noncompliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement. The deadline for triggering the so-called “snapback” sanctions is September 27.

The E3 accuse Tehran of breaching the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the deal that restricted Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. The European governments have signaled they would delay reinstating sanctions for up to six months if Iran restores access for UN inspectors, addresses concerns about its enriched uranium stockpile, and engages in direct talks with the United States.

“An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It’s up to Iran to respond to the legitimate issues we have raised,” French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X after meeting Pezeshkian in New York at the sidelines of UNGA.

Iran has no intention to build nuclear weapons, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly, just days before international sanctions could be reimposed on his country over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions https://t.co/9i5vvldg6z pic.twitter.com/gsU9Ts8Ufg

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 24, 2025

Iran maintains that its actions are justified by the U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018, when then-President Donald Trump reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran. Pezeshkian accused the Europeans of “bad faith,” saying their criticism disregarded the fact that Iran scaled back commitments only after Washington abandoned the pact.

“They falsely presented themselves as parties of good standing to the agreement, and they disparaged Iran’s sincere efforts as insufficient,” he told the assembly. He further charged that the E3 acted “at the behest of the United States of America,” claiming they undermined their own legal obligations under the JCPOA.

Iran accuses US of ‘grave betrayal of diplomacy’

Pezeshkian accused the U.S. and Israel of committing a “grave betrayal of diplomacy” by carrying out airstrikes on Iranian cities and its nuclear infrastructure, telling world leaders at the UNGA that the attacks violated international law and undermined peace efforts. He said attacks came “precisely at a time when we were treading the path of diplomatic negotiations.”

A few hours later, Tehran and Washington signalled a possible softening in tensions on Wednesday, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff saying “we have no desire to hurt them”. He added: “We’re talking to them. And why wouldn’t we? We talk to everybody. As well we should. That’s the job. Our job is to solve things.”

Khamenei rules out talks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed Pezeshkian’s position in a prerecorded speech on Tuesday. While stressing that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, he rejected renewed negotiations with Washington. “This is not a negotiation. It is a diktat, an imposition,” he said.

If reinstated, UN sanctions would freeze Iranian assets abroad, block arms deals, and penalize development of Tehran’s ballistic missile program.

Fallout from the 12-day war

Pezeshkian also used his speech to condemn the surprise Israeli and U.S. attacks that triggered a 12-day conflict earlier this year. More than 1,000 Iranians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, which targeted Iranian territory and were described by Israel as a preemptive strike on Tehran’s nuclear facilities.

Several senior Iranian military figures were among the dead, and the strikes weakened the country’s defenses. Tehran retaliated with missile attacks, marking one of the region’s most intense confrontations in years.

“The Iranian nation has time and again demonstrated that it shall never bow before aggressors,” Pezeshkian said. He added that the war revealed “the fallacy and self-delusion of their arrogant calculations.”

Israel has repeatedly targeted neighboring states, including Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Qatar in recent years, but the offensive against Iran marked its largest operation in decades.

Criticism of Israeli ambitions

Pezeshkian also tied Israel’s actions to broader regional dynamics, condemning what he described as the pursuit of a “greater Israel” strategy aimed at territorial expansion and control.

“After nearly two years of genocide, mass starvation, the perpetuation of apartheid within the occupied territories and aggression against its neighbours, the ludicrous and delusional scheme of a ‘greater Israel’ is being proclaimed with brazenness by the highest echelons of that regime,” he told the UN.

According to him, Israel’s recent strikes on regional states showed that it was abandoning efforts to secure its position through political normalization. “Israel and its sponsors no longer even content themselves with normalization through political means. Rather, they impose their presence through naked force, and have styled it peace through strength,” he said.

Positioning Iran as a partner

Despite the confrontational tone, Pezeshkian closed his address by presenting Iran as a cooperative partner to the international community.

“Iran is a steadfast partner and a trustworthy companion for all peace-seeking countries of friendship and a partnership grounded not in fleeting expediency but in dignity, trust, and a shared future,” he said. “Let us, together with you, turn threats into opportunities.”

Iran nuclear deal background

The 2015 JCPOA was seen as a breakthrough in global nonproliferation efforts. Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment and allow international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. Supporters credited it with preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while critics argued it did not go far enough to restrict Iran’s missile program and regional influence.

The U.S. withdrawal in 2018 dealt the agreement a major blow. Since then, Iran has expanded its nuclear activities, enriching uranium well beyond the deal’s limits. Negotiations to restore the accord under President Joe Biden stalled, with recent European efforts representing the latest attempt to salvage the framework.

As the sanction’s deadline looms, Pezeshkian’s insistence that Iran does not seek nuclear arms underscores Tehran’s desire to avoid deeper isolation, even as it refuses to yield to Western pressure.