WANA (Sep 01) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that “Iran seeks to resolve existing issues, including the nuclear file, through engagement and diplomatic channels” while calling on international organizations, especially the United Nations, to take “more serious and practical measures” against what he described as Israeli crimes and destabilizing actions in the region.

 

During his meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in China on September 1, Pezeshkian stressed that the Islamic Republic has “always sought peace and calm, while it was the Zionist regime that imposed war on us.”

 

He thanked Guterres for his stance on Israeli actions against Palestinians in Gaza and the attack on Iran, but urged him to adopt “clearer positions in condemning the regime’s crimes against Palestinians and other countries in the region.”

 

Pezeshkian noted that Iran came under Israeli attack while engaged in talks with the United States, adding: “The Islamic Republic has long been a victim of terrorism, with many senior officials assassinated in such acts. Today, Israel assassinates whomever it wishes in the region under the pretext of self-defense.”

 

The president also criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its Director General, saying Iran has been under “the strictest and most intrusive inspection government,” yet the Agency has failed to condemn Israeli strikes on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.

 

He recalled that Iran’s parliament had passed a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA in response, though Tehran ultimately left decisions on the scope of cooperation to its Supreme National Security Council in order to pursue “constructive and effective engagement” with the Agency.

 

For his part, UN Secretary-General Guterres said: “I am personally convinced that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons and that its nuclear program is peaceful. I recognize your right to a peaceful nuclear program.” He added that he has raised concerns with European signatories of the JCPOA over the possible reactivation of the “snapback” sanctions mechanism, urging them to work with Iran to avoid escalation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in China on September 01, 2025. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in China on September 01, 2025. Social media/ WANA News Agency