In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian harshly criticized the US and Israel, saying that the two countries have seriously eroded international trust.
Mr. Pezeshkian said that the military attacks by the US and Israel in the Middle East, along with the imposition of unilateral sanctions, "not only caused casualties to civilians but also dealt a heavy blow to the global cooperation system".
The Iranian leader's statement comes as the country faces great pressure from inflation, devaluation of its currency and growing domestic opposition. Iran's rial has recently continued to plummet against the USD, making people's lives more difficult.
Mr. Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek conflict but affirmed that Tehran has the right to self-defense against all aggressive actions. The leader also called on the international community to promote dialogue rather than war.
At the forum, the Iranian president also sought to reassure domestic public opinion about the economic situation, pledging that the government would promote trade cooperation with neighboring countries and non-Western partners to stabilize the market and reduce dependence on the US dollar.
Analysts said that Mr. Pezeshkian's speech was both to send a foreign message and to address domestic political pressure. Over the past few weeks, the rial has been depreciating continuously, forcing the Iranian Central Bank to urgently intervene. Inflation at more than 40% also makes many classes of people feel uneasy.
The Iranian president's speech quickly received backlash from the US and Israeli delegations. Officials of the two countries have denied the allegations, saying Tehran is deliberately dying public opinion away from internal issues and its role in supporting armed forces in the region.
However, observers said that Mr. Pezeshkian's message shows that Iran is looking to call for support from the international community, especially developing countries, in the context of the Middle East tensions showing no signs of cooling down.
