Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced Israeli raids on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June as illegal and blasted European powers for triggering the return of UN sanctions in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
“The world ... was witness to these surreptitious raids, infringement upon the sovereignty of nations, violation of the territorial integrity of states ... all of this under the full support of the most heavily armed regime in the face of the earth,” Pezeshkian said, referring to Israel and the United States.
“Who is the disturber of the stability of the region and the world? Who is the actual threat against international peace and security? (Iran) was subjected to a savage aggression and flagrant contravention of the most elementary law,” he added according to a simultaneous translations, referring to a US-Israeli war in June.
The President, a relative moderate, stopped short of presenting what Tehran's response might be to its foes or the looming sanctions. Ali Khamenei is the ultimate decision-maker over Iran's domestic and foreign affairs.
Pezeshkian called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “criminal,” accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza.
Israel’s delegation boycotted Pezeshkian’s speech, walking out of the UN hall during his address. It has rejected the findings of a United Nations Commission of Inquiry last week that Israel has committed genocide, calling them false and politicized.
E3 move a 'gross violation'
Turning to European powers, Pezeshkian accused Germany, Britain and France of acting in “bad faith” by triggering the so-called snapback of international sanctions on Iran last month which are due to take effect in days.
“Three European states – having failed through a decade of bad faith and thereafter by supporting military aggression to bring the proud people of Iran to their knees – at the behest of the United States of America sought by means of pressure, coercion, imposition and manifest abuse to reinstate against the Iran Security Council resolutions that had already been terminated,” he said.
“In doing so, they set aside good faith. They circumvented legal obligations,” he added, calling the move a “gross violation.”
No to atomic bomb
Pezeshkian said that Iran had never pursued nuclear weapons. Israel and the United States had asserted in June, without providing any public evidence, that Tehran had decided to race toward a bomb.
“I hereby declare once more that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” he said.
"We do not seek nuclear weapons, this is our belief... those who disturb the peace and stability in the region is Israel," he added.
Israel launched a surprise military campaign on June 13, striking military and nuclear facilities in Iran. Air attacks killed nuclear scientists along with hundreds of military personnel and civilians. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks which killed 31 Israeli civilians and one off-duty soldier.
The United States joined the conflict on June 22, conducting strikes on major nuclear sites including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, before brokering a ceasefire on June 24.
Washington said the attacks set back Tehran’s nuclear program by years, though the International Atomic Energy Agency has not yet been able to fully assess the impact of the strikes due to lack of access.
