US Delegation Walks Out of UN Assembly During Iranian President's Address

A United States delegate walked out of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the gathering, accusing the U.S. and Israel of killing civilians and asserting that his nation has been the "victim of terrorism." The sole U.S. representative present stood up, gathered his belongings, and exited the hall shortly after Pezeshkian began his speech.

During his address, President Pezeshkian displayed photographs of children he claimed were killed in a U.S. attack on an Iranian school, stating, "I come from an Iran where, in truth, they bombed a school." He also referenced the assassination of Iran's supreme leader, asserting it occurred "without any legal framework or reason."

"We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists," Pezeshkian told the assembly. "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, described as a moderate within Iran's political structure, arrived in New York amid heightened scrutiny. His speech followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had used the same stage the previous day to suggest the potential 'annihilation' of the Islamic Republic if a resolution to the ongoing conflict was not reached.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Trump indicated that his envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had met with Iranian officials for approximately three hours on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Trump characterized the meeting as "very good," though he noted the Iranian representatives were "not the highest level, but it's something." Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously stated that Trump was open to meeting with Pezeshkian during his time in New York.

However, Tehran downplayed the significance of this exchange. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the indirect talks, facilitated by Qatari mediators, were "not anything new." He reiterated Iran's negotiating stance, demanding an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Pezeshkian's address comes at a time when negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled for over a year. The ongoing conflict has also seen intermittent attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, impacting commercial shipping. Last year, Pezeshkian's speech followed a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, which resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian military and political figures and further disrupted U.S.-Iran negotiations.