Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly where he accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip under the pretext of self-defense. Pezeshkian claimed that “the world has witnessed the true nature of the Israeli regime” over the past year of war in Gaza. “It has witnessed how the regime carries out atrocities in Gaza, and how in 11 months it has murdered in cold blood over 41,000 innocent people, mostly women and children,” said the Iranian President. “It is Israel that has assassinated our scientists, diplomats and even guests on our soil,” continued Pezeshkian, who also claimed Israel “supported — both covertly and overtly — terrorist groups like ISIS.” “Israel has been defeated in Gaza, and no amount of barbaric violence can restore its myth of invincibility,” he stated. "It is imperative the international community should immediately stop the violence, bring about a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and bring about an end to the desperate barbarism of Israel in Lebanon before it engulfs the region and the world," stated the Iranian President. Pezeshkian also said that Iran is ready to end its nuclear standoff with the West, while calling for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine through dialogue. His speech at the UN comes a day after the Iranian President accused Israel of attempting to provoke a full-scale regional war by dragging Iran into the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. “We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible,” Pezeshkian stated in a press briefing upon his arrival in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. He emphasized that Iran seeks peace, not war, adding, "It is Israel that seeks to create this all-out conflict." Pezeshkian, touted as a reformist, defeated his hardline rival, former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, in a runoff election . Related articles: 'Iran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons' Iran officially rejects direct talks with US 'No negotiations, do whatever the hell you want' Iran’s VP Zarif steps down amid pressure from hard-liners While improving Iran's relationships with the West is one of his stated goals, that does not include Israel. On the day of the first round of the elections, responding to a question from a journalist about how Iran would manage international relations if he were president, Pezeshkian replied , “God willing, we will try to have friendly relations with all countries except Israel.” In late July, Pezeshkian warned that any possible Israeli attack on Lebanon “could backfire and have severe consequences for the Zionists themselves”.
