Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly that Iran had not attacked any country or territory for the past two centuries,
presenting Tehran as a state that has consistently acted in self-defence rather than pursued territorial aggression. “For the past two centuries, Iran has not attacked any country or any territory, but we've always defended ourselves steadfastly,” Pezeshkian said during his UNGA address. His remarks came as Iran remains at the centre of a widening regional confrontation with the United States and Israel. US President Donald Trump had warned at the UN on Tuesday that he could “annihilate” Iran if Tehran did not reach a deal to end the war. The two sides have since held indirect discussions in New York.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian:
For the past two centuries, Iran has not attacked any country or any territory, but we've always defended ourselves steadfastly.
But now, we're being accused of being a source of instability in the region. We're labeled terrorists. pic.twitter.com/TBYbHkPrSP— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 23, 2026
Pezeshkian rejects accusations against Iran
Pezeshkian rejected the portrayal of Iran as a source of instability or terrorism, arguing that Tehran does not seek to establish regional dominance.
“We don’t wish to use our power for hegemony, and we don’t seek our security in the insecurity of others,” he said. He added that Iran did not regard its neighbours as security rivals and instead wanted them to become stronger. “We want to have strong neighbors,” Pezeshkian said, framing regional security as something that should be built collectively rather than through competing alliances and foreign military deployments.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian:
Iran has never, ever been an aggressor, has never started a war, and has always shown her commitment to the negotiating table.
They imposed the war on us, but we have proven that we're not afraid of fighting a war — one that is defensive in… pic.twitter.com/ufwt48KhLU— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 23, 2026
The Iranian president also insisted that Tehran had never initiated a war and said the conflict currently involving Iran had been imposed on the country. “Iran has never, ever been an aggressor, has never started a war, and has always shown her commitment to the negotiating table,” he said.
Pezeshkian said Iran had demonstrated that it was prepared to fight when necessary, describing its military response as defensive and vowing that Tehran would continue defending the country.
Strait of Hormuz becomes central to Iran's argument
Pezeshkian also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important maritime routes for global energy supplies and a major flashpoint in the current confrontation. He said Iran did not want to create insecurity in the waterway but objected to what he described as a situation in which other countries could freely use the route while simultaneously using military power around it to pressure Iran and restrict its access.
His comments came as maritime traffic through the Strait remains severely disrupted amid the conflict. A cargo vessel was also struck by an unidentified projectile in the waterway on Wednesday, with UK Maritime Trade Operations reporting that the vessel caught fire, was left adrift and that two casualties were recorded.
Pezeshkian argued that disputes over the region should be resolved by the countries directly affected rather than becoming instruments for outside powers. “Our regional issues must be resolved in the region, at the hands of the countries in the region, without becoming a toy in the hands of outside aggressors,” he said.
The address placed Iran's longstanding claim of acting defensively at the centre of Pezeshkian's UNGA message, while linking that argument to the ongoing dispute over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's broader opposition to foreign military pressure in the region.
