AJ
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian started his speech saying that the United States President described Iran as terrorists on Tuesday, stating that it is Iran who has been the victim of terrorism, at which point the US delegation left the room.
➡️ “I come from an Iran in which our Esteemed Supreme Leader was assassinated without any legal framework or reason. I come from an Iran where, in truth, they bombed a school. You see these children? These children perished under bombs with weapons used by the US and Israel. They were innocent and had committed no crimes.”
➡️ “Those who are terrorists and train and protect terrorists describe us as such. We have only defended ourselves; we’re not terrorists. Our innocent people have been targets of cowardly attacks imposed upon our country. We defended ourselves with the utmost strength. America and Israel attacked us with the latest technology. They hit us, but we didn’t bend the knee.”
➡️ “We responded, but we did not hit civilian populations. They came into surrounding territories and targeted our universities, our healthcare centres, our schools, our hospitals, and our infrastructure, all of it against international law.”
➡️ “For the past two centuries, Iran has not attacked any country or any territory, but we’ve always defended ourselves steadfastly. But now, we’re being accused of being a source of instability in the region, and we’re labelled as terrorists.”
➡️ “Israel targets any neighbourhood or in any city in any province, commits assassinations like a true terrorist. In Gaza, over 80,000 innocent civilians have been brutally murdered. They are committing genocide by using the so-called technologies they have at their disposal, then, they label others as terrorists. Are we the sources of instability? We only seek to live independently.”
➡️ “We do not seek power in order to attack or commit aggression, we seek energy for progress, not to threaten societies with weapons, and we wish to cooperate and collaborate for security. We don’t wish to use our power for hegemony, and we don’t seek our security in the insecurity of others. We will not bow our heads and give up the right that is inherently ours. We say it clearly: No nuclear weapons, and no limitations to peaceful nuclear technology.”
➡️ “Defensive systems have been built so that no one can think that bombing of Iranian cities will go unanswered – that is why we have the military power we do for defence. We do not seek anyone’s permission or approval to defend our country and people. Iran does not see her neighbours as security, rivals, we want to have strong neighbours. The expansion of warfare will not result in security.”
➡️ “In the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, we do not want to impose insecurity. We cannot let some have free access and gain their interest from a waterway while at the same time using that waterway to impose insecurity upon us, to forbid us access to our own waterways. They close access for us to our own waterway. Yet they keep supplying missiles and deadly military technologies to bring insecurity to all of the lands surrounding the waterway.”
➡️ “We cannot speak of peace while ignoring Palestine. Lasting peace in West Asia is impossible without justice for Palestine. As long as occupation, aggression, and injustice persist in the world, resistance will continue. If it is weakened in one form, it will re-emerge in others, perhaps stronger still.”
➡️ “Gaza, despite relentless killings and widespread devastation, has strengthened the people’s faith in resistance. Resistance cannot be destroyed by bombs and siege. This is human nature. If a human being is being driven from his or her land, they will resist. If their homes are subjected to bombings and aggression and attacks, they will resist. What other choice do they have? Succumb to bullying?”
➡️ “Our regional issues must be resolved in the region, at the hands of the countries of the region, without becoming a toy in the hands of outside aggressors. No relationship with a foreign power can become the tool of threatening neighbouring countries in the region.”
➡️ “They have learned that Iran cannot be forced to surrender. Iran has never, ever been an aggressor, has never started a war, and has always shown her commitment to the negotiating table. They imposed the war on us, but we have proven that we’re not afraid of fighting a war – one that is defensive in nature – and we will stand in defence of our beloved Iran, our homeland, until our last breath.”
➡️ “Atomic and nuclear bombs are in the hands of the Israeli regime, but the inspectors are requested to come to Iran. Israel has murdered savagely over 70,000 innocent Gazans, but Iran, while being behind the table of negotiation, was bombed. Israel has the bombs, has weapons of mass destruction, is not a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, during her shameful life has not allowed a single inspection, but they are rewarded by all the means necessary for them to be able to bomb any capital in the region at will.”
➡️ “The nuclear weapon is in Israel, but inspectors are in Iran. Israel kills, but Iran is subject to sanctions. This is a true tragedy, which would make anyone hearing it laugh at best. They kill, we are sanctioned. We are punished – those who are ill, innocent people, the poor, the least privileged in our society are the targets of these sanctions, and this is what the United States seeks to do with all countries: to sacrifice the population of a country in order to achieve illegitimate goals.”
➡️ “Iran extends her hand to the world. We invite the world – we call the world – not out of weakness, but out of a deep belief in our own power and steadfastness, to cooperate and collaborate, because of a deep belief that no one in this region will have security alone. Either we will build it together, or we will have to live under insecurity together.”
➡️ “Trump must know that the resistance of the Iranian people will only increase in the face of sanctions, increased pressure, increased bullying – we will never bow our head or bend our knee. Iran 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.”
