On the sidelines of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, President Pezeschkian met with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday.
The president said Iran is trying to address existing challenges, including nuclear issues, through dialogue and interaction. He expressed his hopes for international organizations, particularly the United Nations, to take more decisive action against the crimes and provocations of the region’s Israeli regime.
During the debate, Pezeshkian emphasized that it was Israel that imposed war on the Iranian state. He acknowledged Guterres’ attitude towards the atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza and thanked him for his position.
The Iranian president urged international organisations to adopt a clear stance that condemns Israel’s actions against Palestinians and other regional countries. He emphasized the need for international organizations to implement concrete measures in response to Israeli invasions.
Pezeshkian also noted that Iran is exposed to aggressive attacks from Israel while engaged in indirect negotiations with the United States. He said Iran was a major victim of terrorism, with many of its officials and leaders being assassinated in terrorist acts. He also criticized the Israeli regime for arbitrary assassination under the guise of self-defense.
Additionally, Pezeshkian expressed his dissatisfaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its director, Rafael Grossi, saying that despite Iran being tested by the IAEA, he has not condemned Israel’s attacks on Israeli peaceful nuclear power plants. He described this lack of conduct as a violation of international norms.
In response to the IAEA’s actions, the Iranian parliament recently passed a law to suspend cooperation with the institution, but Pezeshkian made it clear that Iran entrusted decisions on cooperation with the IAEA to the highest national security council and still pursued constructive involvement.
Secretary-General Guterres expressed his personal belief that Iran is not trying to develop nuclear weapons and confirmed Tehran’s rights to a peaceful nuclear program. He also communicated concerns about the activation of the snapback mechanism and urged the European Party to a nuclear agreement to work with Iran on these issues.
MNA/