Speaking during a visit to the ministry of sports and youth, the president questioned the legal and moral authority of the Donald Trump administration to limit the nation’s nuclear capabilities, News.Az reports, citing Global Times.
The president’s remarks come at a critical juncture as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a complex diplomatic and military standoff. Pezeshkian argued that while the US president claims Iran should not exercise its nuclear rights, he has failed to specify any “crime” that would warrant such a deprivation. The iranian leader emphasized that his country seeks to end the ongoing conflict “with dignity” while maintaining a firm stance against what he described as external aggression.
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These statements coincide with a period of high tension in the Strait of hormuz, where Iran recently reinstated restrictions on commercial shipping in response to a US blockade of iranian ports. Despite recent high-level talks in Islamabad, significant gaps remain between the two nations. The US has reportedly proposed a 20-year suspension of iranian nuclear activity, while Tehran has suggested a much shorter timeframe of three to five years.
Furthermore, iranian officials have flatly rejected the idea of exporting the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States, a proposal previously mentioned by Trump. Deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh clarified that no enriched material would be shipped to the US, underscoring the “fundamental issues” that still need to be resolved before a permanent peace deal can be reached.
As the temporary ceasefire nears its expiration, Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran is defending its sovereignty and does not wish to be portrayed as a “war-monger.” The situation remains fluid, with international mediators scrambling to prevent a return to full-scale hostilities while both sides navigate their respective “red lines” regarding regional security and nuclear sovereignty.
