Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a defiant address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, accusing the United States of attacking Iran and saying his country would continue defending itself amid the nearly seven-month war.

Pezeshkian said the Iranian people had been victims of what he described as terrorism carried out by the United States. His speech came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he could “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if an agreement was not reached soon to end the conflict.

The address marked a notable wartime appearance at the U.N. General Assembly, where Pezeshkian defended Iran’s actions while directly criticizing the United States and Israel.

During his speech, Pezeshkian held up large photographs of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with images of more than 150 Iranian schoolchildren who, according to Iranian authorities, were killed during the opening days of the war.

Pezeshkian rejected accusations that Iran was responsible for terrorism and said the country had acted in self-defense.

He said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and aggression against the country and that Iran responded with force after being attacked by the United States and Israel.

The Iranian president’s remarks highlighted the continuing confrontation between Tehran and Washington as efforts to reach an agreement and end the war remain unresolved.

Pezeshkian’s appearance also reflected the sharply competing accounts of the conflict, with Iran portraying its military actions as self-defense while the United States and Israel have described their campaign through their own security and military objectives.

The speech came as international attention remained focused on whether diplomatic efforts could prevent further escalation between the two sides.

SOURCE: Associated Press, Farnoush Amiri, updated September 25, 2026, article published September 24, 2026.