Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but will not agree to restrictions on the use of peaceful nuclear technologies.
He made the remarks during a speech at the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Ukrinform reports.
According to Pezeshkian, Iran does not agree that nuclear technologies should be the exclusive preserve of a handful of states.
"No nuclear weapons and no restrictions on peaceful nuclear technologies," the Iranian president said.
He stressed that Tehran views peaceful nuclear technologies as an important part of the country’s development.
In particular, this includes their use in medicine, agriculture, industry and electricity generation.
The Iranian president also said the country is ready for dialogue and diplomacy. At the same time, he stressed that Tehran will not agree to negotiate under pressure or on the basis of force.
Pezeshkian said that tougher sanctions, pressure and intimidation, in his view, would only strengthen the resistance of the Iranian people.
He also addressed US President Donald Trump and other advocates of pressure on Iran, saying Tehran is ready for talks without accepting the "language of force".
In his speech, Pezeshkian also rejected accusations that Iran is involved in terrorism. According to him, after US and Israeli attacks, Iran allegedly only defended itself and carried out retaliatory strikes.
"We only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian said.
He claims that innocent people were harmed as a result of the attacks, and that Iran responded to aggression while, he said, not attacking civilians.
- Iran is trying to return to diplomacy, promising the US it will open the Strait of Hormuz if Washington eases military and economic pressure on the country.
- At the same time, during a speech by Donald Trump from the UN General Assembly rostrum, in which he called Iran the "number one terrorist organisation in the world", the Islamic republic’s delegation left the hall almost in full.