Iranian President challenges world to uphold moral principles in UN General Assembly

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a fiery address to the United Nations General Assembly, invoking moral principles and denouncing what he described as widespread aggression and injustice in the Middle East over the past two years.

Opening his speech, Pezeshkian referenced what he called the “golden maxim” found in multiple religious texts. “That which you would not approve for yourself, do not approve for others.” He then posed a series of questions about the current state of the world, highlighting what he called atrocities in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

“Let us behold the past two years. The world… was witness to genocide in Gaza, was witness to the destruction of homes and repeated violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity in Lebanon, was witness to the devastation of Syria’s infrastructure, was witness to assault against the people of Yemen, was witness to the forced starvation of emaciated children in the arms of their mothers, was witness to the assassination of Iran’s scientists,” Pezeshkian said.

Turning to the attacks on Iran in June, which triggered a 12-day conflict with 'Israel', he condemned them as “a savage aggression in flagrant contravention of the most elementary principles of international law”. He emphasized that the strikes occurred during ongoing diplomatic negotiations and challenged the Assembly to consider whether they would “countenance such things for yourselves?”

Pezeshkian praised Iranian resilience, describing the nation as steadfast in the face of external pressures.

“The patriotic and valiant people of Iran laid bare before the aggressors the fallacy and self-delusion of their arrogant calculations,” he said, noting that attempts to destabilize the country through sanctions, media campaigns, and divisive tactics had only strengthened national unity.

The Iranian leader also condemned 'Israeli' rhetoric about a “greater Israel”, which he said aims to extend control over occupied Palestinian territories and surrounding areas.

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

He accused 'Israel' and its allies of abandoning diplomatic normalisation in favor of military imposition, describing it as “styled… peace through strength.”

Addressing Iran’s nuclear program, Pezeshkian criticized European efforts to reimpose UN sanctions, arguing that they ignored legal obligations and misrepresented Iran’s actions in response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

“I hereby declare once more before this assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” he affirmed.

Throughout his speech, Pezeshkian framed Iran as a nation committed to faith, cohesion, and peaceful development, standing resolute against external aggression and regional destabilization.