Pezeshkian slams US contradictory statements, says Iran undeterred
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has censured Donald Trump’s recent contradictory statements about the country, underlining that the Islamic Republic is not intimidated by the US president’s threats and will not forgo its legitimate nuclear rights under pressure.
Pezeshkian made the remarks over a ceremony on Saturday to commemorate the second anniversary of the return of the Iranian Navy’s 86th flotilla to the port city of Bandar Abbas after completing its first-ever round-the-world naval trip.
“No one but Trump himself believes his words against the Iranian nation; on the one hand, he speaks of peace and stability, and on the other hand, he threatens with the most sophisticated tools for homicide, and with contradictory statements, he simultaneously sends messages of peace, bloodshed, and insecurity,” he said.
“We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue, but we are not afraid of threats either, and we will in no way retreat from our legal rights.”
Praising Iran’s valuable gains in various fields, the president said, “It is not the case that they imagine if they threaten us, we will retreat from our human and irrefutable rights. We will not back down and not abandon our proud military and academic, scientific, and nuclear achievements.”
Pezeshkian added, “They assassinate our scientists, clerics, and luminaries, then accuse us of being terrorists! We are victims of terrorism.”
Underscoring Iran’s commitment to strengthening unity and expanding ties with neighboring and regional countries, the president said, “From their perspective, we are the source of insecurity because we refuse to bow down to their bullying and believe we are capable of standing on our own feet.”
Pezeshkian also criticized the silence of the so-called human rights advocates in the face of the brutal killing of 60,000 defenseless and innocent Palestinians by the Israeli regime and the cutting off of water and food to their women and children.
“How are they going to bring peace to humankind with these crimes? One cannot speak of peace and human rights by committing genocide and the killing of innocents,” he noted.
Trump since taking office in his second term has refused to abandon his incendiary and scorn-laden rhetoric against Iran despite ongoing talks between his administration and the Islamic Republic regarding Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program.
On countless occasions, the US president has threatened to tap military force if the two sides fail to agree on a deal.
Iran has held four rounds of indirect talks with the US on the issue of its peaceful nuclear program, with both sides describing the Omani-brokered negotiations as positive.
