Press TV, on Iran, 26 October 2026

6.0out of 10Serious

Iran’s president urges regional unity as he hosts Pakistani, Saudi, Turkish officials

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President Masoud Pezeshkian says Iran supports any agreement that reinforces unity among Muslim countries and boosts constructive cooperation in West Asia.

He made the remarks on Monday during a quadrilateral meeting in Tehran with senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The article never says that the meeting was called to de-escalate regional tensions, or that it was the first high-level contact since the Houthis escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia. Houthis launched new attacks that same day. It also leaves out that Pakistan's army chief brought a diplomatic proposal for renewed US-Iran negotiations. Without these facts a reader believes the Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials came to Tehran for a unity summit, not for crisis talks.

How we know

“Any agreement reached during these meetings that helps strengthen unity, solidarity, and regional cooperation will enjoy the full and all-out support of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the president said.

“We must focus on our common ground and areas of mutual cooperation, and not allow differences of opinion to stand in the way of advancing the shared interests of regional nations.”

Pezeshkian also underscored the need for Islamic countries to remain vigilant against interventionist and divisive policies, warning of plots by the United States and to weaken countries across the region, drive a wedge between Muslim nations, and gradually undermine the strength of major Islamic states.

Through strengthening mutual cooperation and extending support to one another, regional countries must ensure that none of them is left to face pressure and threats in isolation, he said.

Meanwhile, the Iranian president highlighted efforts to mount economic pressure and fuel public discontent, calling on Islamic countries to work towards meeting one another’s needs through constructive engagement, economic cooperation, and the effective use of their respective capacities.

“The notion that nations can be forced into submission through pressure and sanctions is fundamentally misguided. The deeper and broader the cooperation among countries in the region, the greater their capacity to address challenges and withstand external pressure,” he said.

🔴 Iran's President Pezeshkian:

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 26, 2026

🔺 Iran supports any understanding that leads to Islamic countries' unity

🔺 Relying on shared capacities, Islamic states can present world with a model of justice, development pic.twitter.com/pcfX4XFr6s

Additionally, the Iranian president condemned Israel’s crimes in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Iran, where acts of aggression led to the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, military commanders, scientists, and even schoolchildren.

Such actions are unjustifiable on legal, humanitarian, or rational grounds, he said, underscoring the urgent need for Islamic countries to adopt a common approach to confronting aggression and insecurity.

The United States and Israel , which lasted 12 days, in June 2025. Their second aggression began on February 28, 2026, and came to a halt in early April after 40 days.

, but .

Pezeshkian said the adversaries thought that they could bring about the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Iran via pressure and aggression.

However, he said, the aggression strengthened national unity and deepened solidarity among Iranians, who stood firm and defended their homeland.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran asserts its legal rights in accordance with the principles and rules of international law and, on that basis, will resolutely defend the rights and legitimate interests of the Iranian nation,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the participation of representatives from key Islamic countries in the Tehran meeting will help further cement regional unity.

Moreover, the president said that Iran, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons while reserving its right to peaceful nuclear activities.

He also denounced as a “contradictory and unconstructive approach” the use of the nuclear issue as a pretext to exert pressure, issue threats, and attack nuclear facilities in Iran, while simultaneously claiming to be willing to engage in dialogue.

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What we found (3)

Press TV states in its own voice that the US and Israeli wars on Iran were "illegal" and "criminal" and that Iran "forced the aggressors to accept a ceasefire", with no source for any of it. It also uses loaded words such as "the Israeli regime" and "the enemies", and it does not say that the meeting was held to de-escalate regional tensions.

  1. States one side's claim as fact

    Serious

    “waged their first illegal war against Iran”

    Why this matters
    Press TV calls the June 2025 war "illegal" in its own narration, not in the president's words, and gives no source.
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes it as settled that the war has been ruled illegal.
    The context
    The article cites no court, legal body or named source for the word. It is Iran's position, written as the outlet's fact.

    Show it in the article

    “In both criminal wars, the enemies targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure across Iran”

    Why this matters
    Press TV labels both wars "criminal" and states, unattributed, that they targeted residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes the criminality of the wars and the deliberate targeting of civilians as established fact.
    The context
    No source, investigation or ruling is given for either claim. They are Iran's account, set out in the outlet's voice.

    Show it in the article

    “the Iranian resistance and decisive retaliatory operations forced the aggressors to accept a ceasefire”

    Why this matters
    Press TV states as its own fact that Iranian military action forced the US and Israel into a ceasefire.
    The impression it gives
    The reader believes the fighting ended because Iran won it.
    The context
    Other coverage the same day says the halt in fighting followed mediation led by Qatar and Pakistan, and that a memorandum of understanding was reached later. Why the ceasefire came is contested, not established.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  2. Uses a loaded word

    Minor

    “the Israeli regime”

    Why this matters
    Press TV paraphrases the president without quotation marks and calls Israel's government "the Israeli regime".
    The impression it gives
    The reader takes a pejorative label as a neutral description of a government.
    The context
    "Regime" carries a verdict. It belongs inside quotation marks and attributed to whoever used it.

    Show it in the article

    “the enemies”

    Why this matters
    Press TV calls the US and Israel "the enemies" in its own narration.
    The impression it gives
    The reader is addressed as one side of the confrontation rather than informed about it.
    The context
    This is a partisan label, not a description. Naming the US and Israel would carry the facts.

    Show it in the article

  3. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    What is missing

    The article never says that the meeting was called to de-escalate regional tensions, or that it was the first high-level contact since the Houthis escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia. Houthis launched new attacks that same day. It also leaves out that Pakistan's army chief brought a diplomatic proposal for renewed US-Iran negotiations. Without these facts a reader believes the Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials came to Tehran for a unity summit, not for crisis talks.

    How we know

    Show where it belongs

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