'We will never bow our head': Iran's president strikes defiant tone in UN speech

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a defiant speech at the United Nations General Assembly, vowing that Iran would not bow its head to US threats. Addressing President Donald Trump directly, Pezeshkian warned that the Iranian people's resistance would only grow in the face of sanctions, increased pressure, and aggression.

He held up a photo of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in February, as well as images of Iranian children killed by US air strikes. Pezeshkian defended Iran's nuclear program, reaffirming that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and will not give up its civilian nuclear program. He accused the US and Israel of hypocrisy for seeking to limit Iran's nuclear program while allowing Israel to maintain a nuclear arsenal.

Pezeshkian also emphasized Iran's need for a powerful military to deter threats, stating that Iran does not wish to use its power for hegemony. He claimed that the Islamic Republic has the overwhelming support of its population and that the US and Israel were behind protests that erupted in Iran at the beginning of the year.