Russia26 September, 20262 min read
Lavrov Condemns Assassination Of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei At UNGA As Unacceptable
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Lavrov condemned the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei as unacceptable at UNGA. Condemned assassinations of Khamenei's family as unacceptable coercive diktat.
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Lavrov at UNGA
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that Western countries were destabilising the world through “force and double standards,” and he vowed that Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine would be “carried through to the end.” Lavrov condemned the assassination of Iran’s Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with members of his family and military and political leadership, calling it “another unacceptable manifestation of coercive diktat.”
Lavrov said the wider US-Israeli campaign had struck Iranian nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards, causing “irreparable damage” to the non-proliferation system overseen by the UN-backed nuclear energy watchdog. Lavrov also accused the United States of seizing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife earlier this year and called for their immediate release, while quoting President Vladimir Putin that “the dictatorship of a single hegemon has run amok and is simply dangerous for everyone around it.”
Pezeshkian keeps talks open
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview with Fox News’ Special Report that Tehran still sought an agreement with Washington despite the killing of its supreme leader, scientists and military commanders in US and Israeli attacks.
Pezeshkian told Fox News’ Special Report, “We do not choose war. The war was imposed on us. We do not seek war,” and he said Iran remained willing to move forward with an earlier understanding reached with President Donald Trump.
Pezeshkian said, “We did reach an agreement with your president,” and he added, “That agreement was signed, and based on that, we are willing and still wish to move forward.”
Pezeshkian said Iran had not closed the Strait of Hormuz and that it had remained open when the country was attacked, and he added, “They assassinated and martyred our esteemed supreme leader, our scientists, our military commanders and government.”
Strait of Hormuz as leverage
Iran International said US and Iranian negotiators in New York were exploring a phased agreement that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, and it cited Reuters for the talks. Iran International said neither side wanted to surrender its main source of leverage before the other acts, and it described the talks as remaining far from an agreement.
Iran International reported that Pezeshkian’s “We will not surrender” speech drew praise from senior officials including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, Expediency Council Chairman Sadegh Amoli-Larijani and Army Commander Major General Amir Hatami. Iran International also reported that hardline journalist Davoud Modarresian criticized Pezeshkian for travelling to New York and continuing to advocate negotiations, saying that declaring readiness for talks amounted to a “strategic mistake.”