Iran President Pezeshkian Addresses UN, US Delegate Walks Out

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, 2026, vowing Iran would never bend at the knee in response to U.S. actions and threats.

Pezeshkian accused Washington of terrorism for assassinating former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and for a missile strike on a school in Minab that killed over 150 people, including approximately 120 children, according to UN investigators. He presented photographs of wartime destruction during his address. The U.S. representative walked out of the General Assembly hall as Pezeshkian began speaking.

Pezeshkian's speech followed President Donald Trump's September 22 address, in which Trump threatened to annihilate Iran if negotiations failed and labeled Iranian authorities as sponsors of terrorism. Pezeshkian stated Iran was ready for dialogue and diplomacy but would not accept the language of force. He also asserted Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology and criticized Israel's alleged possession of nuclear weapons.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Pezeshkian's speech, questioning Iran's standing on human rights and accusing Tehran of sponsoring terrorist organizations and violating its neighbors' sovereignty. U.S. and Iranian officials signaled no major breakthroughs in mediated talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly. The Pentagon's investigation into the Minab strike, which identified outdated intelligence and reliance on AI as contributing factors, remains publicly unresolved.