Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s Speaker of Parliament, has reiterated his country’s commitment to reaching an agreement with the US to avoid war. In addition, he pushed back against the recent remarks from former President Donald Trump. Pezeshkian’s statements came during an event in the port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, where he reaffirmed Iran’s stance on its nuclear program and its readiness for dialogue.
This is despite Trump having told reporters in July that it was important for Iran to negotiate “very quickly.” He threatened them that “something evil’s gonna happen” if they didn’t follow the new requirements. Pezeshkian rejected Trump’s comments, stating, “No one but Trump himself believes his words against the Iranian nation.” He criticized the contradictions in Trump’s approach, pointing out that while the former president speaks of peace and stability, he simultaneously issues threats.
On that quickly same day, Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to Trump’s chest thumping. He labeled them a “disgrace to the American nation” and proclaimed they were not even “worthy of an answer at all.” This fits into Iran’s larger strategy of balancing international pressure with a firm declaration of their sovereignty and international rights.
Through ongoing, but fragile diplomatic outreach between the U.S. and Iran, world leaders hope to curtail Tehran’s nuclear desires. These advancements play out amidst this important backdrop of history. The two countries just finished their fourth round of negotiations in Oman, with the goal of halting Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The initial round of talks held in Muscat and described as “difficult” by Iranian foreign ministry spokespeople.
Pezeshkian further stressed that Iran is pursuing negotiation and dialogue in the region, not war. He stated, “We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue, but we are not afraid of threats either, and we will in no way retreat from our legal rights.” This mood is representative of Iran’s wider commitment to stay one step ahead in the global debate on its nuclear program.
