Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office as president in July, delivered a speech during the general debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly, indicating his readiness to engage with partners in the stalled Iran nuclear deal.
On the situation in Gaza, he stressed that the world has witnessed Israeli atrocities, with “more than 41,000 innocent people, mostly women and children, murdered in cold blood in 11 months.”
While Israel was killing Iranian scientists, diplomats and guests, Iran was supporting popular liberation movements for those who had fallen victim to the crimes and colonialism of the Israeli regime, he continued.
“We stand with the people around the world who flooded the streets in anger over Israeli atrocities; we condemn Israeli crimes against humanity,” he said, urging the international community to immediately end the violence and establish a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
He also condemned Israel’s “desperate barbarism” in Lebanon, warning that it must be stopped “before it engulfs the region and the world.”
President Pezeshkian further noted that he campaigned on a platform of reform, empathy and constructive global engagement, and expressed his honor to have earned the trust of Iranian citizens.
“I want to lay a solid foundation for my country’s entry into a new era, and position it to play an effective and constructive role in the evolving world order. My goal is to address existing obstacles and challenges while structuring my country’s foreign relations in light of the necessities and realities of today’s world.”
He stressed that in today’s globalized world, no country can achieve security by undermining the security of others and called for a “new paradigm” based on opportunities and cooperation to address global challenges.
He recalled the “historic” 2015 nuclear deal, noting that Iran, under the Joint Comprehensive Program of Action (JCPOA), had agreed to the highest level of nuclear controls in exchange for recognition of its rights and the lifting of sanctions.
However, former US President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA represented a “threatening approach” to politics, Mr Pezeshkian added, stressing that unilateral sanctions targeted innocent people and weakened Iran’s economy.
“We are ready to engage with JCPOA participants. If JCPOA commitments are fully and in good faith implemented, dialogue on other issues can follow,” he said.
“We have an opportunity to transcend limitations and enter a new era, starting with recognizing Iran’s security concerns and working together on mutual challenges,” he said.
He reiterated the devastating impact of sanctions and stressed that Iran is ready to build meaningful economic, social, political and security partnerships with its neighbors and global partners, “on an equal footing.”
“The appropriate response to this message from Iran is not to impose more sanctions, but to honor existing commitments to lift sanctions, which benefits the Iranian people and thus lays the foundation for more constructive agreements.”
Click here to download the statement.
