Iran’s president speaks at U.N. amid active war with the United States

# What happened

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York while his country is at war with the United States. The speech came a day after President Donald Trump used the same podium to say he faced a choice: make a deal that lets Iran rebuild or "annihilate the Islamic Republic."

# Key moves in Pezeshkian's address

Pezeshkian directly rejected U.S. accusations that Iran is a sponsor of terrorism. He said, "We have been the victims of terrorism," and publicly displayed a portrait of the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who Pezeshkian said was killed on the first day of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. He also showed photographs of children he identified as victims of U.S. and Israeli bombings.

Tehran does not want a nuclear weapon and refused to accept limits on Iran's civilian nuclear program, saying the country seeks energy for progress. He added that Iran must remain strong to avoid being threatened and to protect its future.

Pezeshkian repeatedly named President Trump and said Iran would not "bow our head or bend at the knee." At the same time, he said Iran was ready for diplomacy and negotiations, but not on the basis of the "language of force."

# Diplomatic signals and public reactions

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told NPR he and his team are "internalizing what they brought to the table," signaling the U.S. was assessing any offers exchanged.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said an exchange of messages between Iran and the U.S. occurred with Qatar acting as a mediator. According to the ministry's public statement, Iran's conditions for further progress included an end to U.S. hostilities, lifting the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and releasing Iranian funds held abroad.

# Iran

Pezeshkian combined a defensive narrative with an opening to diplomacy. He denied aggressive intent on nuclear weapons, emphasized civilian energy needs, and framed Iran's recent actions as self-defense. At the same time, he articulated clear red lines and concrete demands for de-escalation before further talks.

# Why the speech matters

# Immediate implications

• Public-facing diplomacy: Iran used the U.N. podium to blend rhetoric of resistance with an offer to negotiate under conditions.
• Negotiation track: Reports of mediated message exchanges via Qatar and a three-hour meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials suggest a parallel diplomatic channel remains active.
• Military and political pressure: Pezeshkian's refusal to accept limits on civilian nuclear activity and insistence on lifting the naval blockade frame central sticking points for any deal.