Iran’s president reaffirms peaceful nuclear program, stands firm against foreign aggression

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to peaceful nuclear development and its stance against foreign interference during a ceremony on Monday to unveil new nuclear achievements.

"We are open to dialogue, but with dignity and pride, we will not compromise on our achievements and we will not make deals (on them)," Pezeshkian said, emphasizing that Iran’s nuclear program remains dedicated to peaceful purposes, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

He reiterated that the Islamic Republic has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons, despite ongoing international scrutiny.

Pezeshkian also took the opportunity to honor the memory of Iran’s martyred scientists, noting, "More than 23,000 of this country's best (people) have been assassinated; Dedicated and knowledgeable people who were supposed to bring pride to our country."

He accused external forces of orchestrating these killings to stifle Iran’s scientific progress, stating, "They assassinated our scientists so that there would be no one in this country who could pave the way for the country's progress. In order to prove that we cannot, they assassinate our good people, unaware that there are many capable people in our country and that they cannot bring Iran to its knees by martyring our people."

Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran's pursuit of nuclear technology is solely for peaceful purposes. "We are not looking for an atomic bomb. Who is setting policy (for Iran) above the Leader of the Islamic Revolution who has officially announced that we are not looking for a nuclear bomb? Check it a thousand times," he stressed. "You can verify a thousand times that we don't have atomic bombs, but we need nuclear science and nuclear energy."

Turning to the region’s security dynamics, Pezeshkian addressed the threats posed by Iran’s adversaries. "We are not looking for war, but we will stand strong against any aggression with the knowledge and power that our scientists have created. The more they harm us, the more powerful we will become, and the stronger we will stand against any threat they pose to us."

He also expressed solidarity with Iran's neighbors, declaring, "We have declared that we are brothers with all Islamic countries, and this is not a slogan, it is our belief, and we have no political intentions. We consider all our neighboring countries as our brothers and we want to live with them in peace and brotherhood."

In a pointed critique of accusations that Iran is the source of regional instability, Pezeshkian asked, "Are we destroying cities and terrorizing? Are we deploying bombers in the region? Are we continuing to arm and destroy the countries of the region in order to sell our resources and equipment?"

He stressed that Iran seeks peace and security and is open to dialogue, but will never compromise its achievements. "We want peace and security and are open to dialogue, but with dignity and pride, we will not compromise on our achievements and we will never allow them to hinder our thinking and innovation."

Pezeshkian concluded with a firm assertion of Iran’s sovereignty, saying, "The enemy's greed to think that he can enter into conflict with us is a false idea. The people of our country will not allow foreigners and aggressors to do so." He emphasized that Iran has never been a colony of foreigners and that its people will continue to resist foreign influence.

The president also said that the Iran-U.S. talks in Oman will take place through mediators, not directly, as U.S. administration officials had previously claimed.

Pezeshkian pointed to the directives of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, regarding relations with the United States, saying that Khamenei has stressed that the negotiations with Washington should be indirect, with dignity and national pride.

By Khagan Isayev