Iran President Accuses US of Terrorism at UN

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian used a rare wartime address to the U.N. General Assembly to accuse the United States and Israel of attacking Iran and to portray Iranian civilians, including more than 150 schoolchildren, as victims. He rejected claims that Iran was the aggressor, defended Tehran’s nuclear program, and said Iran would not “bend the knee” or allow the Strait of Hormuz to be used for aggression. Pezeshkian said Iran remained open to dialogue but would not negotiate under threats, following President Donald Trump’s warning that he could “annihilate” Iran if no agreement was reached. The U.S. delegation reportedly walked out during the speech, while Trump said U.S. and Iranian officials held an unexpectedly lengthy meeting in New York, though Tehran downplayed its significance. A U.N. fact-finding mission said there were reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in strikes on Iran, including an attack on a primary school, an allegation Washington denies; Pezeshkian also disputedly claimed Iran had not targeted civilians.