Iran President Pezeshkian to speak at UNGA today: What to expect from his address

Pezeshkian's UNGA appearance comes at the intersection of two developments: Tehran's effort to present its case before the international community and renewed indirect diplomacy with Washington.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is due to address the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (September 23), as Tehran seeks to present its position on the nearly seven-month US-Iran war and push for diplomacy amid renewed contacts between the two sides.

Pezeshkian arrived in New York late Tuesday ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Iranian state media reported his arrival, while he said before departing Tehran that he would “firmly defend” Iran's positions at international forums and use the opportunity to convey what he described as Iran's plight to the international community.

His speech comes a day after US President Donald Trump addressed the General Assembly and said he faced a choice between reaching a deal with Iran or taking further military action against the Islamic Republic.

Pezeshkian's UNGA speech: What to expect

Pezeshkian is expected to focus on Iran's account of the conflict, what Tehran describes as crimes committed against the country and the breakdown of trust in international institutions.

Before leaving Iran, Pezeshkian said Tehran had repeatedly entered negotiations and signed agreements but accused other parties of failing to honour their commitments. He also called for an end to war and bloodshed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has similarly made “trust” a central theme of Tehran's UNGA message, saying Iran has lost confidence in an international organisation that it believes has come under the influence of Western countries.

Pezeshkian's appearance will also mark a significant diplomatic moment: his address comes while Iran remains in active conflict with the United States, making his presence at the UN in New York particularly notable.

Trump threatens action, says Iran deal remains possible

Pezeshkian's speech follows Trump's address to the UN on Tuesday, in which the US president said he had a “big decision” to make over Iran.

Trump said he could either reach an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or “annihilate the Islamic Republic” if a settlement could not be reached. He also said he believed a deal could eventually be reached after the US midterm elections.

Trump has maintained that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and has called on Tehran to return to negotiations and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Most members of the Iranian delegation walked out of the UN chamber during Trump's speech, according to reports.

US-Iran talks resume on UNGA sidelines

The sharp rhetoric has coincided with renewed indirect diplomatic contacts.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held discussions with Iranian representatives through mediators in New York, with Trump later describing the talks as productive and saying there was momentum toward a possible deal.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had communicated its conditions through Qatari mediation. These include an end to the war and what Iran describes as US acts of aggression.

The discussions were indirect rather than a face-to-face meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff. Iranian officials said Araghchi met Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who has played a mediating role in previous negotiations.

Strait of Hormuz remains key issue

The diplomatic efforts are unfolding alongside continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments.

Iran has maintained demands that Washington lift its blockade of Iranian ports and release frozen Iranian assets. Tehran has also linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the lifting of the blockade.

The dispute over the waterway has added pressure to global energy markets, making the US-Iran negotiations important not only for the conflict itself but also for oil and shipping flows.

Pezeshkian's meetings in New York

During his stay in New York, Pezeshkian is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state and meet Iranian-Americans, US-based academics and think tanks.

His UNGA appearance therefore comes at the intersection of two developments: Tehran's effort to present its case before the international community and renewed indirect diplomacy with Washington.

The UN General Assembly's high-level debate is being held from September 22 to 26, with an additional sitting scheduled for September 28.