TEHRAN — President Masoud Pezeshkian declared Sunday that Iran “defended with strength” the rights of its people and the oppressed nations of the region during his trip to New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, emphasizing that Tehran will not allow others to impose whatever they wish on the country.
Speaking at a press conference upon his return to Tehran, Pezeshkian said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran defends its rights within the framework of international law and obligations and will not allow others to impose whatever they want on the country.”
The president revealed that upon arriving in New York and learning of the U.S. president’s outrageous remarks, Iran’s approach at the General Assembly was directly influenced by those statements. 
“We defended with clarity Iran, its path, and the beliefs and convictions of the Iranian nation,” he said. 
Pezeshkian added that if the U.S. president had not made those remarks, “perhaps we would not have responded in that manner — but those statements compelled us to react”.
Pezeshkian sharply criticized the U.S. and Israeli approach in the region, stating: “You cannot, on one hand, target infrastructure, people, scientists, and various centers, and on the other hand, claim to defend human rights.” 
He added that sanctions directly affecting people’s lives are, from Iran’s perspective, “an action against the Iranian nation”.
The president said that in all meetings and conversations, Iran “tried to clearly express the oppression of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the criminal actions of America and the Zionist regime.” 
He distributed a booklet documenting American crimes and damages from U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran — during the New York trip.
“We defended with strength our positions, the people of Iran, Muslims, and the oppression of the Palestinian people and countries that have been subjected to aggression,” he said.
Pezeshkian urged Islamic countries to adopt a different outlook and strive for greater cooperation and convergence. 
“All Muslims are brothers. Based on the teachings of Islam, the Qur’an, the Prophet, and the Imams, Muslims must stand together. We must not allow others to place us against one another”.