Iran's Pezeshkian blames U.S., Israel for global instability in UN speech

September 23, 2026 at 07:55 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that the U.S. and Israel are responsible for global instability and illegal attacks on Iranian civilians. His defiant speech directly contradicted President Donald Trump's claim that Iran seeks a peace deal. Pezeshkian vowed Iran will fight back "until our last breath."

Key Facts

Pezeshkian accused the U.S. and Israel of launching illegal attacks on Iranian civilians and infrastructure.
Trump told the UN a day earlier he was weighing whether to "annihilate" Iran after nearly seven months at war.
Pezeshkian is the first leader to address the UN in person while his country is actively at war with the U.S., The New York Times reported.
Pezeshkian held up photos of children he said were killed by U.S. and Israeli bombs.

The Speech

Pezeshkian framed Iran as the victim of U.S. and Israeli aggression and asserted his country will continue to fight back "until our last breath." "The United States president described us as terrorists. We have been the victims of terrorism," Pezeshkian said, according to a live translation of his speech. He asked, "Are we the sources of instability? We only seek to live independently." Pezeshkian began his speech by holding up photos of children he said were killed by U.S. and Israeli bombs.

Clash with Trump

The address came as a fiery rebuke to President Donald Trump, who told the UN a day earlier that he was weighing whether to "annihilate" Iran after nearly seven months at war. It also contradicted Trump's insistent narrative that Iran desperately seeks a peace deal, and that one is likely to come right after the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Trump was not present at the UN on Wednesday; he returned to Washington overnight in advance of Chinese President Xi Jinping's arrival for a state visit.

Historic Appearance

Pezeshkian's appearance is historic: No other leader has ever addressed the UN in person while his or her country is actively at war with the U.S., The New York Times reported.