"Will never bow our head or bend the knee…": Iran President slams Trump’s remarks at UNGA

‘We will never bend the knee’ Pezeshkian hits back at Trump from UNGA podium

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian Wednesday hit back at US President Donald Trump from the UN General Assembly podium, declaring that Iran would “never bow our head or bend at the knee” and accusing Washington and Israel of aggression against his country, even as he kept the door open for renewed negotiations.

Addressing world leaders a day after Trump threatened to “annihilate” Iran if the conflict remained unresolved, Pezeshkian rejected the US President’s characterisation of Tehran as a sponsor of terrorism. Instead, he said Iranians themselves had been “victims of terrorism” and maintained that his country had acted in self-defence during the nearly seven-month conflict with the US and Israel.

‘We are not terrorists’

Pezeshkian used his speech to directly challenge Trump’s remarks from the same podium Tuesday. He held up photographs of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and children killed during the conflict as he accused the US and Israel of targeting his country. “We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” Pezeshkian said, arguing that Iranian civilians had been subjected to attacks during the war. He said Iran had been attacked with advanced military technology but had refused to surrender under pressure. “Yes, they did hit us, but we did not bend the knee,” he said.

Towards the end of his address, Pezeshkian named Trump directly, saying increased sanctions and pressure would only strengthen Iranian resistance. “We will never bow our head or bend at the knee,” he said, before adding that Trump and others seeking to “bully” Iran should understand that Tehran remained willing to pursue diplomacy. Pezeshkian’s claim that Iran had not targeted civilian populations during the conflict has been disputed. Civilians, including mariners and migrant workers, have been killed in Iranian attacks during the war.

Open to talks, but not threats

Despite the combative rhetoric, the Iranian President repeatedly signalled that Tehran remained prepared for negotiations with Washington.

Pezeshkian said Iran was ready for “dialogue and diplomacy and negotiations” but would not accept what he called the “language of force”. His remarks came amid signs of renewed diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The two sides have been exploring whether negotiations can produce a path towards de-escalation after months of fighting.

Trump had also indicated Tuesday that diplomatic contacts were continuing, even as he intensified his public warnings to Tehran. The contrast between Pezeshkian’s defiance and his offer of negotiations reflected the difficult position facing both governments — continuing military confrontation while simultaneously exploring whether diplomacy can produce an agreement.

Hormuz warning

Pezeshkian also delivered a warning over the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important waterway through which a significant share of global energy supplies moves. He said Iran would not accept a situation in which other countries benefited from free passage through the waterway while, in Tehran’s view, using it to facilitate aggression against Iran. “We cannot let some have free access and gain their interest from a waterway, while at the same time using that waterway to impose their aggressions upon us,” he said.

The Strait has become a central flashpoint during the conflict, with disruptions to commercial shipping contributing to volatility in global energy markets. Pezeshkian warned that an expansion of the war would not make the region safer, arguing that security in West Asia could not be achieved by individual countries acting at the expense of others.

Nuclear rights defended

The Iranian President also defended Tehran’s nuclear programme, maintaining that Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons but would not surrender what it considers its right to peaceful nuclear technology. He rejected restrictions that would prevent Iran from pursuing civilian nuclear capabilities, another central issue in negotiations with Washington. The US and its allies have long raised concerns over the possibility that Iran’s nuclear programme could acquire a military dimension. Tehran maintains that its programme is peaceful.

Pezeshkian’s appearance marked his first UN General Assembly address since the outbreak of the current war. His speech combined some of Tehran’s strongest rhetoric against Washington with an explicit offer to return to negotiations — leaving the confrontation between the two countries suspended between further escalation and another attempt at diplomacy.