Pezeshkian accuses U.S. and Israel of attacking Iran at the UN
A story of 6 related events · arranged 25 Sep 08:19 UTC · Sources | Summary
At the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, said Iran would not surrender, and offered talks without force. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attacks as having stopped Iran from developing nuclear weapons, while U.S. officials criticized Iran’s conduct and President Donald Trump threatened the Islamic Republic.
Key points
Pezeshkian framed Iran as defending itself and offered diplomacy while rejecting pressure and limits on peaceful nuclear technology.
Evidence · 5 source statements
It must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,
We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,
Iran does not accept restrictions on access to peaceful nuclear technology.
Explicitly, we say: neither nuclear weapons nor deprivation of nuclear knowledge,
Netanyahu defended attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities; U.S. officials also accused Iran of violence and said a deal would take sustained work.
Evidence · 5 source statements
He said the war in which Israeli and US forces have attacked Iran for close to seven months had stopped Tehran from being able to develop nuclear weapons.
I think sponsoring terrorist organizations in the region to attack your neighbors, attack energy infrastructure, attack civilian sites is a violation of the UN system.
The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks…
a deal with Iran would involve hard work over a period of time
Reports placed Pezeshkian’s arrival in New York on different days, and accounts differed on when the U.S. delegation left his speech.
Evidence · 5 source statements
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arriving late Tuesday, according to Iranian state media
who arrived in the city on Wednesday.
the US delegation from walking out at the start of Pezeshkian’s speech.
Who's involved
Masoud Pezeshkian · Iran
Iran’s president and the speaker at the UN General Assembly.
He accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and said Iran was defending itself, not acting as a terrorist state. He said Iran would not surrender or submit to pressure, but was ready to negotiate without force; he defended peaceful nuclear technology, opposed restrictions on it, and proposed a security arrangement with Gulf states.
What they said · 7 source statements
It must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,
We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,
Iran does not accept restrictions on access to peaceful nuclear technology.
He also proposed a new security architecture for the future in partnership with Gulf states, including those it has been bombarding in an effort to dislodge the US from its…
Benjamin Netanyahu · Israel
Israel’s prime minister, who defended the attacks on Iran at the UN.
He said the attacks had stopped Iran from developing nuclear weapons and described the decision to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities as one of the easiest decisions he had made as prime minister.
What they said · 2 source statements
He said the war in which Israeli and US forces have attacked Iran for close to seven months had stopped Tehran from being able to develop nuclear weapons.
U.S. administration · United States
U.S. officials addressed Iran’s conduct and the prospects for a deal, and Trump issued a threat toward Iran.
Trump threatened to annihilate the Islamic Republic if a deal was not reached soon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran’s sponsorship of attacks on neighboring countries, energy infrastructure, and civilian sites violated the UN system; White House spokesperson Anna Kelly accused Iran of attacks and terrorism. Rubio also said reaching a deal would require hard work over time.
What they said · 4 source statements
"annihilate"
I think sponsoring terrorist organizations in the region to attack your neighbors, attack energy infrastructure, attack civilian sites is a violation of the UN system.
The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks…
a deal with Iran would involve hard work over a period of time
Where accounts differ
Different readings
Responsibility for violence and terrorism
Pezeshkian said Iran was a victim of terrorism and that the United States and Israel had attacked Iran.
Evidence · 3 source statements
the Iranian people have been "victims of terrorism" by the United States and Israel
U.S. officials accused Iran of sponsoring attacks and carrying out terrorism and attacks in the region.
Evidence · 2 source statements
I think sponsoring terrorist organizations in the region to attack your neighbors, attack energy infrastructure, attack civilian sites is a violation of the UN system.
The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks…
Iran’s president and U.S. officials gave opposing accounts of who was responsible for violence and terrorism.
Different readings
Iran’s nuclear program and the rationale for attacking its facilities
Pezeshkian said Iran wanted peaceful nuclear technology and did not seek nuclear weapons.
Evidence · 2 source statements
Explicitly, we say: neither nuclear weapons nor deprivation of nuclear knowledge,
Netanyahu said the attacks had stopped Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Evidence · 1 source statement
He said the war in which Israeli and US forces have attacked Iran for close to seven months had stopped Tehran from being able to develop nuclear weapons.
Pezeshkian rejected the claim that Iran sought nuclear weapons, while Netanyahu defended the attacks as preventing Iran from developing them.
Accounts conflict
The day Pezeshkian arrived in New York
Iranian state media, as relayed by France 24, placed his arrival late Tuesday.
Evidence · 1 source statement
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arriving late Tuesday, according to Iranian state media
Fox News placed his arrival on Wednesday.
Evidence · 1 source statement
who arrived in the city on Wednesday.
The accounts give different arrival days.
Reported at different times
When the U.S. delegation left Pezeshkian’s speech
The Guardian said the delegation walked out at the start of the speech.
Evidence · 1 source statement
the US delegation from walking out at the start of Pezeshkian’s speech.
Hürriyet and Yonhap said the departure came a few minutes after the speech began.
Evidence · 2 source statements
The accounts differ on the precise timing and may describe the same departure with different levels of precision.
How it unfolded
Before the UN address, Pezeshkian said he would raise Iranian grievances, alleged crimes, and distrust, and argued that force could not make people submit.
Evidence · 2 source statements
September 22, as stated by the presidential office spokesperson — Habibollah Abbasi said Pezeshkian was due to leave for New York to attend the General Assembly.
Evidence · 1 source statement
Tuesday or Wednesday; accounts differ — Reports placed Pezeshkian’s arrival in New York late Tuesday or on Wednesday.
Evidence · 2 source statements
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arriving late Tuesday, according to Iranian state media
who arrived in the city on Wednesday.
At the UN General Assembly, Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, rejected pressure, and offered negotiations without force.
Evidence · 3 source statements
It must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,
We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,
During Pezeshkian’s address — Members of the U.S. delegation left the hall; accounts differed on whether they left at the start or a few minutes into the speech.
Evidence · 3 source statements
the US delegation from walking out at the start of Pezeshkian’s speech.
At the UN, Netanyahu defended the attacks on Iran and said they had stopped Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Evidence · 2 source statements
He said the war in which Israeli and US forces have attacked Iran for close to seven months had stopped Tehran from being able to develop nuclear weapons.
What was reported
Iran’s Presidential Office announced that Pezeshkian would travel to New York for the UN General Assembly; Daily Jang later reported that he had departed Tehran, and Mehr said Iranian officials saw him off on Tuesday.
Reported independently by 3: Daily Jang, Iranian media, Mehr News Agency
Evidence · 3 source statements
President Pezeshkian was seen off by First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref, Deputy for International Relations at the Office of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Hojjatoleslam…
France 24, relaying Iranian state media, said Pezeshkian arrived late Tuesday; Fox News said he arrived Wednesday.
Reported independently by 2: Fox News, Iranian state media
Evidence · 2 source statements
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arriving late Tuesday, according to Iranian state media
who arrived in the city on Wednesday.
Pezeshkian addressed the UN General Assembly in New York during the war.
Reported independently by 2: Daily Jang, Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 2 source statements
Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and said Iran had defended itself.
One source: Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 2 source statements
Pezeshkian said Iran would not surrender but was ready for negotiations without force; he also said Iran opposed restrictions on peaceful nuclear technology and proposed resolving the nuclear dispute by mutual agreement.
Reported independently by 2: France 24, TASS
Evidence · 4 source statements
It must be understood by Mr. Trump and those who seek to bully us that we are ready for dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations without accepting the language of force,
We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,
Iran does not accept restrictions on access to peaceful nuclear technology.
the issue of Iran's nuclear program must be resolved not on the battlefield, but through a mutual agreement that guarantees the rights of the people and the peaceful nature of…
Pezeshkian said Iran would not allow free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while sanctions and a U.S. maritime blockade remained in place, and proposed a future security arrangement with Gulf states.
Reported independently by 2: Bloomberg, The Guardian
Evidence · 2 source statements
He also proposed a new security architecture for the future in partnership with Gulf states, including those it has been bombarding in an effort to dislodge the US from its…
Members of the U.S. delegation left the hall during Pezeshkian’s address.
Reported independently by 2: CBC News, Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 2 source statements
Members of the U.S. delegation walked out during Pezeshkian's address on Wednesday.
Netanyahu said attacks on Iran had stopped Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and called the decision to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities one of his easiest as prime minister.
Reported independently by 2: NDTV, Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 2 source statements
He said the war in which Israeli and US forces have attacked Iran for close to seven months had stopped Tehran from being able to develop nuclear weapons.
Trump threatened to annihilate the Islamic Republic if a deal was not reached soon.
One source: BBC News
Evidence · 1 source statement
"annihilate"
Pezeshkian said Iran had repeatedly negotiated and signed agreements whose commitments were not honored.
One source: Daily Jang
Evidence · 2 source statements
Pezeshkian displayed images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and schoolchildren; Yonhap described the children as more than 150 elementary-school students who died on the first day of the war.
Reported independently by 2: Daily Jang, Yonhap News Agency
Evidence · 2 source statements
How coverage differed
Iranian state and Iranian-focused coverage — Highlighted Iran’s claim of self-defense, its resistance to pressure, and its position on peaceful nuclear technology.
U.S.-based coverage — Fox News included U.S. officials’ accusations about Iran and gave a Wednesday arrival date; France 24 relayed Iranian state media’s late-Tuesday arrival account.
International coverage of the UN remarks — Coverage included both Pezeshkian’s accusations and Netanyahu’s defense of the attacks, as well as reports of the U.S. delegation leaving the hall.
Still unclear
No agreement was announced.
The effect of Pezeshkian’s address on negotiations was not stated.
The U.S. delegation’s reason for leaving the hall was not stated.
The agreements Pezeshkian said were not honored were not identified.
Not heard from
Iranian civilians affected by the attacks — Pezeshkian invoked civilian deaths and attacks on a school, but no affected civilians gave their own account.
Lebanese people or officials — Reports said Israeli attacks on Lebanon caused deaths and displacement, but no Lebanese voice appears.
Masoud Pezeshkian used his UN General Assembly address to accuse the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and to portray Iranians as victims of terrorism. He said Iran would not surrender, while offering dialogue on terms that reject force and preserve Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his UN General Assembly address to accuse the United States and Israel of aggression, reject the label of terrorism, and say Iran would not yield to pressure. He also said Iran was open to negotiations without accepting what he called the language of force, defended peaceful nuclear technology, raised Iran’s access to the Strait of Hormuz, and proposed a security arrangement with Gulf states. Members of the U.S. delegation left during the speech.
At the UN, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, saying they had stopped Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and that attacking Iran's nuclear facilities was an easy decision. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and criticized a U.S. attack on a girls' school.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York. Reports gave different arrival days: one account attributed to Iranian state media said late Tuesday, while Fox News said Wednesday.
Masoud Pezeshkian departed Tehran for New York to attend the UN General Assembly and present Iran’s position. Iranian officials had announced the planned trip, and Mehr reported that senior officials and Cabinet members saw him off.
Before the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he would present Iran’s position and raise grievances, alleged crimes, and distrust affecting the Iranian people. He accused Iran’s adversaries of using pressure to force submission, said past agreements had not been honored, and argued that force would not make people surrender.