Iran's president says country won't surrender after Trump threat to 'annihilate' Islamic Republic

Iranian President ‌Masoud Pezeshkian did not mince words in a rare wartime speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he may "annihilate" Iran amid the nearly seven-month war on the Islamic Republic.

Iranians have been target of 'cowardly attacks and aggressions,' said Masoud Pezeshkian

Sara Jabakhanji · CBC News

· Posted: Sep 23, 2026 10:58 AM EDT | Last Updated: 16 minutes ago

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Iranian President ‌Masoud Pezeshkian did not mince words in a rare wartime speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he may "annihilate" Iran amid the nearly seven-month war on the Islamic Republic.

In his UN address, Pezeshkian said the Iranian people have been "victims of terrorism" by the United States and Israel, while holding up photos of the more than 150 school children killed on the first days of the war in March, as well as of the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian told the annual gathering of ​world ⁠leaders at ⁠the United ⁠Nations.

"Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country. And we defended ourselves with utmost strength. America and Israel attacked us."

Pezeshkian said Iran will ‌not surrender in ​the war with ​the United States, ​but believes ⁠in diplomacy ⁠to ‌try to end the ⁠conflict.

"We will never bow our head or bend at the knee," he said, adding that Washington does not understand the country it seeks to "bully."

Pezeshkian — who within Iran's political landscape is considered a moderate politician — arrived in New York under heavy security and scrutiny on Tuesday.

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Members of the U.S. delegation walked out during Pezeshkian's address on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Iran's delegation had walked out during Trump's address.

On Tuesday, the U.S. president used the same stage to say he faces a "big decision" on Iran.

Trump said one option is making a deal that allows Iran to become a "far greater country" than ever before.

"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?"

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Jabakhanji is a Toronto-based senior writer assigned to cover news developments in the Middle East. She has worked in CBC bureaus in Ottawa, London and Toronto. You can reach her at sara.jabakhanji@cbc.ca.