Key facts
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that Tehran will never 'bow its head' to US threats but is open to diplomacy.
- Pezeshkian directly addressed Donald Trump, stating Iran would not yield to US threats and calling US strikes war crimes.
- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused European countries of enabling Israeli war crimes and warned of severe consequences.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide at the UN.
- French President Emmanuel Macron criticized world leaders' inaction on Gaza at the UN General Assembly.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used his address at the United Nations General Assembly to denounce the US and Israel, calling their actions war crimes and accusing the US of bullying. Pezeshkian stated that Gaza symbolizes the failure of international mechanisms to prevent civilian suffering and asserted that Iran has only defended itself.
French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the assembly, criticizing world leaders' inactivity in the face of Israel’s violations of the Palestinian people’s right to exist. Macron questioned the credibility of leaders if they remain inactive on Gaza, asking, "Are we to just watch this spectacle that shames us all? Never!"
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused European countries of enabling Israeli crimes in the Middle East and warned them of "severe long-term consequences of facilitating and supporting Israeli-U.S. war crimes, whether in Gaza or Iran." Araghchi made these remarks during meetings with German counterpart Johann Wadephul and EU Vice-President Kaja Kallas on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned Israel for its genocide in Gaza during his address to the United Nations General Assembly. Sanchez stated that Spain condemns "unequivocally a genocide that Netanyahu is still perpetrating in Gaza." He added that his country has opposed "all wars of aggression wherever they have started, whether it’s in Ukraine, Lebanon or Iran" for the past eight years.
Pezeshkian also addressed claims about Iran's nuclear program, stating Iran does not seek nuclear weapons but will not relinquish its right to peaceful nuclear technology, while accusing the US and Israel of hypocrisy for constraining Iran's program while Israel maintains a nuclear arsenal. He also stated Iran must maintain a powerful military to deter threats.