Statement
Statement summary
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian described the theme of the session, “Better Together: 80 years and More of Peace, Development and Human Rights”, as a summons to solidarity and a shared vision of a brighter future. He emphasized that the foundation of all faiths, philosophies and traditions lies in a common moral principle: “That which you would not approve for yourself, do not approve for others”. Quoting Jesus: “Act towards others as you would have them act towards you,”; the Prophet of Islam: “None of you is a true believer unless he desires for others what he desires for himself,”; and sages such as Hillel, he urged leaders to return to these timeless values.
Turning to the present global order, he asked: “Is this the state of our world?” He listed the atrocities, pointing to “genocide in Gaza”, the destruction of homes in Lebanon, the devastation of Syria’s infrastructure, the starvation of children in Yemen and the assassination of Iran’s scientists. He condemned repeated violations of sovereignty, carried out under the pretext of self-defence, which target civilians and destabilize entire regions. Such actions represent a grave departure from the golden maxim of humanity. “Would you countenance such acts for yourselves?”, he asked, urging the Assembly to recognize where the true threats to peace and security originate.
The President described the “savage aggression” inflicted upon Iran in June through aerial assaults by the United States and Israel, which struck cities, homes and infrastructure. He called these attacks “a grave betrayal of diplomacy and a subversion of peace”, noting they killed children, women, scientists and intellectuals. Such breaches “inflicted a grievous blow upon international trust and the very prospect of peace in the region”. He stressed that unless the international community responds to such violations, they will engulf the world. Quoting the poet Saadi, he recalled: “Human beings are members of a whole; in creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, other members uneasy will remain.”
Reaffirming that “Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb”, he said weapons of mass destruction are prohibited under religious edicts issued by the Supreme Leader and Islamic authorities. Iran envisions a future where strength is derived through peace, not imposed by force. He called for a strong region built on collective security, respect for sovereignty, cultural diversity and human dignity. Citing the poet Saadi, he said: “If you have no sympathy for human pain, the name of human you cannot pertain.” He pledged Iran’s readiness to partner with peace-seeking nations and affirmed that the Iranian people will remain steadfast in defending justice, dignity and multilateralism.
Iran’s President affirmed that his country has no intentions to build a nuclear bomb in his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
*****
Read also the UN News story in Hindi and Urdu about the declaration made by the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the General Debate.
*****
Masoud Pezeshkian began his remarks by upholding the importance of equality and mutual respect among all peoples.
“The bedrock of all divine religions and of the human conscience is this golden maxim: that which you would not approve for yourself, do not approve for others,” he said.
He noted, however, that the past two years have seen genocide in Gaza, destruction of homes in Lebanon – and the repeated violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the devastation of Syria's infrastructure, assaults on Yemen, and the assassination of Iranian scientists.
He asked leaders, “Would you countenance such things for yourselves?”
‘Grave betrayal of diplomacy’
Mr. Pezeshkian recalled that in June, Iran “was subjected to a savage aggression in flagrant contravention of the most elementary principles of international law,” referring to US and Israeli airstrikes on its nuclear facilities and other infrastructure.
They were happening “precisely at a time when we were treading the path of diplomatic negotiations” and “constituted a grave betrayal of diplomacy and a subversion of efforts towards the establishment of stability and peace.”
He warned that “should we fail to confront such perilous breaches of international norms, these aberrations shall spread to engulf the world.”
Hopes for the region
The Iranian President also spoke out against what he called “the ludicrous and delusional scheme of a Greater Israel”, encompassing “vast swaths of the region.”
He instead envisioned “our powerful Iran alongside powerful neighbours within a strong region with a radiant future” in which they “stand together against a grand project that imposes genocide, destruction and stability upon the region”.
“In such a strong region, slaughter and bloodshed shall find no place. It is for this very reason that my country has for many years been among the staunchest advocates of establishing a region free of weapons of mass destruction,” he said.
“Yet those who themselves possess the largest nuclear arsenals and who in flagrant breach of the NPT (non-proliferation treaty) make their weapons even deadlier and more destructive have for years subjected our people to pressures on the basis of spurious allegations.”
He addressed the UN Security Council meeting last week where members rejected a resolution to lift sanctions against Iran imposed prior to a 2015 agreement on its nuclear programme known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He said that “three European States having failed through a decade of bad faith and thereafter by supporting military aggression to bring the proud people of Iran to their knees, at the behest of the United States of America” sought to reinstate Council resolutions that had already been terminated.
“I hereby declare once more before this Assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb.”
He said the future must be built on cooperation, trust, and shared development for all nations.
Full statement
Read the full statement, in PDF format.
Photo
Previous sessions
Access the statements from previous sessions.
Right of reply
The representative of Iran, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, called it “regrettable for the United Nations, for humanity and for the cause of justice that an individual who is wanted by the International Criminal Court has been granted the opportunity to address this esteemed body”. He stressed that it is “preposterous that a regime that persistently violates each and every principle of this Organization is allowed to lecture this body instead of being expelled per Article 6 of the Charter of the United Nations”.
The “Israeli regime is inherently founded on aggression”, occupation, Apartheid and terror, he said, calling for it to be compelled to stop immediately and permanently all its attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria, Yemen, and other parts of the region. He further condemned the 12-day aggression against his country in June and against its exclusively peaceful nuclear programme.
The representative of Iran, responding to the United Arab Emirates, affirmed his country’s full and non-negotiable sovereignty over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb and rejected any claim to the contrary. He added that the Persian Gulf is the only true geographical designation for the body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.
Replying to Germany’s remarks, he said its claims are part of a disinformation campaign aimed at drawing attention away from the crimes of the Israeli regime. Germany is an accomplice to genocide and other crimes of that regime, while also openly supporting aggression against Iran’s nuclear programme, which is and will remain entirely peaceful, he said.