Iranian President Vows No Surrender to US, Calls for Diplomacy at UN

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that while Iran will not surrender in its conflict with the United States, it still believes in diplomacy as a means to end it, according to a Reuters report. The statement was delivered during the annual gathering of world leaders, and the U.S. delegation walked out at the beginning of the speech.

Tensions Over Strait of Hormuz

Pezeshkian's address placed significant emphasis on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Before the conflict, the waterway was the conduit for approximately a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. The Iranian president criticized the ongoing military presence in the region.

"It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway," Pezeshkian said, as reported by Reuters. "The permanent deployment of hostile fleets and the expansion of the war will not lead to peace."

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Diplomatic Backdrop

The speech came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the same assembly. In his Tuesday speech, Trump defended his administration's actions against Iran, asserting they had prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

According to the report, Trump also issued a warning, stating he could "annihilate the Islamic Republic" if a diplomatic agreement to resolve the conflict is not reached. The U.S. mission to the UN did not immediately comment on its delegation's walkout during Pezeshkian's address.