NEW YORK: Senior Iranian military and political figures praised President Masoud Pezeshkian’s United Nations speech after he rejected US pressure while keeping open the possibility of negotiations.
Pezeshkian addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. He displayed photographs of Iranian children killed during the war and said Tehran remained prepared for negotiations but would not accept coercion.
Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi praised the address as a message of Iranian strength and unity. Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, called Pezeshkian a “worthy representative” of Iranians.
Army commander Amir Hatami and armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi also publicly backed the president’s position. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Pezeshkian had spoken for Iran rather than only his government.
Ali Khezrian, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said lawmakers had registered an impeachment motion against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Khezrian accused him of holding contacts with US officials without proper authorisation.
Iran: Pezeshkian UN Address Displays War Victim Images
Araghchi met US envoy Steve Witkoff in New York during contacts surrounding the General Assembly. MP Mojtaba Zarei disputed claims that the encounter lacked approval, saying his inquiries showed the foreign minister had been authorised.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had made no public statement on Pezeshkian’s address or the diplomatic contacts.Howeve, no pre-trip meeting between Khamenei and Pezeshkian had been announced. The domestic dispute over diplomacy continued separately.
