Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, accusing the United States and Israel of stoking global instability. During his speech in New York, Pezeshkian held up photographs of children he stated were killed in a strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran. The address occurred one day after U.S. President Donald Trump told the assembly he was weighing whether to "annihilate" the Islamic Republic following seven months of war.
The diplomatic session was marked by mutual walkouts, as a U.S. delegate left the hall during Pezeshkian's remarks, following a similar move by the Iranian delegation during Trump’s speech on Tuesday. Pezeshkian stated that Iran would not surrender and argued that his country has been a victim of terrorism rather than a perpetrator. He criticized what he termed double standards regarding nuclear oversight, noting that Israel possesses nuclear weapons while Iran faces inspections and sanctions.
Regarding military conflict, Pezeshkian stated that Iran is ready for dialogue but will not accept "the language of force." He asserted Iran's right to peaceful nuclear technology while stating the country does not seek nuclear weapons. Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Islamic Republic as a "malign" force, while President Trump claimed that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had met with Iranian mediators for talks.
Tehran has communicated conditions for revived diplomacy through a Qatari mediator, according to Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei. These conditions include an end to the U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, the release of restricted Iranian assets, and an agreement on a "safe shipping route" in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington, however, announced it will impose secondary sanctions against countries that allow Iranian flights into their territory. In response, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated Tehran would ensure neighboring airports could not function if they block Iranian flights.
For Iranians, the human cost of the conflict was highlighted by the Minab primary school strike, which a UN mission reported likely involved U.S. responsibility and resulted in approximately 177 civilian deaths, including 120 children. A U.S. military investigation in March also identified U.S. responsibility for the strike, though the Pentagon has not released its final conclusions. Residents in the region face ongoing military strikes and the impact of "economic terrorism" through sanctions, which Iranian officials state must be lifted as a condition for peace.
What happens next depends on the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, which President Trump identified as a potential turning point for a peace deal. While Trump expressed optimism about momentum for a deal following meetings between his envoys and Iranian mediators, Iranian hardline circles have criticized the diplomatic contact. The U.S. is expected to begin enforcing the new secondary sanctions on Iranian flight access, while diplomatic observers await the arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington for a state visit.