At the annual assembly of world leaders at the United Nations, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran would not surrender in its war with the United States, while also expressing a belief in using diplomacy to seek an end to the conflict.
Pezeshkian delivered his remarks to the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday. The United States delegation left the chamber at the beginning of his speech. Officials from the U.S. mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Central to Pezeshkian’s address was the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that served as a conduit for one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas before the outbreak of war. He described access to that shipping lane as a matter of contention between Tehran and Washington.
"It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway. The permanent deployment of hostile fleets and the expansion of the war will not lead to peace," Pezeshkian said.
The Iranian leader spoke one day after U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the General Assembly. In his speech on Tuesday, Trump framed the conflict with Iran as necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and warned that he could "annihilate the Islamic Republic" if no deal is reached to end the fighting.
Pezeshkian’s remarks and the U.S. walkout underscore the strained interaction between the two delegations at this year’s U.N. session. The focus on the Strait of Hormuz highlights the intersection of geopolitical tensions with global energy and maritime routes.
This account is limited to statements made at the U.N. General Assembly and the public reactions described during the session. Where no immediate response could be obtained from the U.S. mission to the United Nations, that lack of comment is noted.