Iran’s president tells Trump it’s going to by no means ‘bend the knee’

In his handle to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump mentioned he confronted a “massive choice” – both negotiate a deal that might permit Iranians to rebuild their nation, or “annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it shortly”.

Pezeshkian mentioned the menace was “an indication of a bullying mentality”.

“[Trump] should know that the resistance of the Iranian individuals will solely improve within the face of sanctions, elevated stress, elevated bullying. We won’t ever bow our head or bend the knee,” he mentioned.

But he added: “We are prepared for dialogue and international affairs and negotiations with out accepting the language of pressure.”

Pezeshkian made clear that the US blockade must finish as a part of any deal.

“It can’t be the case that everybody advantages from the Strait of Hormuz whereas we’re denied entry to transport by means of this waterway,” he mentioned.

He additionally reiterated that Iran wouldn’t hand over its proper to have a civilian nuclear programme and that it will not search to develop nuclear weapons.

“We say it clearly: no nuclear weapons and no limitations on peaceable nuclear know-how.”

Trump argued in his speech that the warfare had prevented Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb and demanded that its leaders “relinquish their nuclear ambitions”.

On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff held oblique talks brokered by Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Witkoff mentioned he hoped the discussions – the primary since June – would “show constructive and promising”, including that the mediators would proceed their work.

But Iran’s international ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai mentioned the talks had been “not something new” and that Araghchi had maintained Iran’s circumstances, together with the top of the US blockade and the discharge of frozen Iranian belongings.