New York , September 25 : In what appears to be a major concession, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that his country is willing to submit its nuclear program to international inspectors and has no ambition to pursue a nuclear weapon.
Speaking to Brett Baier on Fox News along the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, the Iranian President pinned the blame for the West Asia conflict squarely on America.
When questioned by Fox News about Iran wanting a nuclear bomb, Pezeshkian said, “Not at all. Not at all. Our martyred, esteemed supreme leader had announced several times that from a religious decree, it is unholy. It is illegal.”
The Iranian President also indicated that Iran would comply with lowering nuclear enrichment levels and monitoring by international inspectors.
“So that weapon’s mass destruction. We said we’re willing to dilute them. It’s not a big deal. We are willing to submit ourselves to verification,” he said.
Pezeshkian also blames US President Donald Trump and the American side for the failure to implement the negotiated settlement that both sides had reached at in June this year.
“We did reach an agreement with your president, that agreement was signed, and based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward. And the framework was agreed upon. We had not closed the Strait of Hormuz; it was open, without any legal justification or framework…They attacked us. They assassinated and martyred our esteemed supreme leader; our scientists are military commanders and government. The problem is that America, instead of conducting dialogue, they descend into the arena by bombing us first, by blocking every pathway. We are ready,” he told Fox News.
Pezeshkian reiterated the stand taken during his speech to the UN General Assembly saying that the onus of starting the conflict rested on America while Iran was only defending itself.
“This is not the way to conduct yourself on the world stage. They can have free access to see whatever we have, but not to put us under such pressure, under blockades, deny us access…We do not seek to kill Americans, as shown by actions, demonstrable actions. America has sought to kill Iranians…What we know is that if we’re attacked, we must defend ourselves…This is something that has been the doing of the United States…We will keep resisting. We will find ways, and the life of our country will continue…But we do not wish to continue. It’s America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not,” he told Fox News.
The Iranian President said that despite the sanctions imposed on Iran they would not bend the knee to any foreign power and placed the onus on the US administration to come to an agreement within the international legal framework.
“If America thinks that they can keep sanctioning us, we have nothing to do, nor do we consider any type of American elections. If the current American government, within international legal frameworks, wishes to reach an agreement, fine. If not, before the elections or after the elections, what difference does it make for us,” he said.
Pezeskhian’s assertion puts the ball firmly in Donald Trump’s court. While the US President has indulged in rhetoric of threatening annihilation of Iran, he knows that a settlement would be the best way to end a conflict that is now on for seven months. (ANI)
