NEW-YORK: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has used his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York to outline Tehran’s position on the war with the United States and Israel, insisting that Iran will not surrender its core interests.
Speaking before world leaders on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran would not abandon its nuclear programme, missile capabilities or control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
His address came amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, with US President Donald Trump having issued threats against the Islamic Republic and claimed that American forces had destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities.
Pezeshkian said Iran could not accept a situation in which other countries benefited from access to the Strait of Hormuz while Iran faced restrictions and what he described as aggression and insecurity connected to the waterway.
The Iranian president’s appearance at the UN was particularly significant because it took place on American soil while the two countries remain locked in a major military and diplomatic confrontation.
Pezeshkian’s speech also came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held lengthy talks in New York with US peace envoy Steve Witkoff.
The meeting represented an important diplomatic contact between Tehran and Washington, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently said the discussions had failed to produce a major breakthrough.
Earlier plans for renewed negotiations had collapsed as the conflict intensified, leaving uncertainty over whether Washington and Tehran can reach an agreement to end hostilities.
Inside Iran, however, diplomatic engagement with the Trump administration has faced opposition from hard-line political figures.
Critics have questioned the authority under which Araghchi met the US representative, while others have warned that any appearance of compromise could be interpreted domestically as weakness.
Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the most important elements of its negotiating strategy.
Mohsen Rezaei, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council chief, said future negotiations with Washington would require the United States to take the first step.
He also said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would depend on Washington meeting Iran’s stated conditions.
The remarks suggest that Tehran intends to use the strategically vital waterway as part of its broader diplomatic and security calculations.
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy route, making any prolonged disruption potentially significant for international trade and energy markets.
Beyond Washington, Pezeshkian also sent a message to countries across the Middle East, saying Iran’s security could not be separated from the security of the wider region.
Some analysts interpreted the statement as a warning that continued pressure on Iran could have consequences for neighbouring countries.
Others viewed it as evidence that Tehran understands the need to eventually establish a workable relationship with its neighbours and seek a framework for peaceful coexistence.
The diplomatic effort, however, remains complicated by continued military tensions.
As Iran presented its position at the UN, maritime authorities reported that a vessel had been targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, with one person killed.
The incident further underscored the fragile security situation surrounding the strategically important waterway.
For now, Pezeshkian’s UN address has made Tehran’s negotiating position clearer: Iran is prepared to discuss its future relationship with Washington, but it wants negotiations to take place on terms that protect what its leadership considers its key national and strategic interests.
