Pezeshkian: US sanctions ‘inhumane,’ Iran will not bow to pressure
President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned US sanctions against Iran as “inhumane,” saying Tehran will not bow to pressure despite Washington’s attempts to force it into submission.
Pezeshkian made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the sidelines of the 17th Summit of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan, Armenia.
Referring to the US sanctions imposed on Iran, the president said, “These sanctions are beyond the bounds of humanity, and their [US-Israeli] attacks in recent months have been unjustifiable and inhumane.”
“Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, and we consider the destructive propaganda against our country to be false,” he added.
He reiterated that Iran had always been ready for dialogue, stressing that while some believe they can force the country to surrender, “we will not submit to coercion.”
Turning to bilateral relations, he stressed the need for “clear and transparent frameworks” to expand cooperation between Iran and Georgia.
Iranian President Pezeshkian met with the prime ministers of Georgia and Armenia on the sidelines of The Biodiversity summit in Yerevan.
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Pezeshkian called for practical steps to strengthen economic, cultural and tourism ties between Tehran and Tbilisi, saying the two sides should draw up an action plan with a specific timetable to promote their relations.
Kobakhidze, for his part, said Georgia maintained clear positions toward neighboring countries and rejected any foreign interference in their affairs.
He added that Iran and Georgia enjoy cultural and geographical commonalities and noted that friendship and cooperation were his country’s guiding principles of bilateral relations.
The premier expressed hope that the two countries’ foreign ministries and diplomatic apparatus would help them reach common ground on economic and tourism cooperation.
Iran will maintain strong global ties despite US sanctions: Pezeshkian
In a separate meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday, Pezeshkian said Washington must know that Iran will continue to maintain strong ties with the world despite the US sanctions, relying on its people and coordination with neighboring countries.
Pointing to US sanctions against Iran, he added that Washington had created problems not only for Tehran but for the entire world.
“If it [the US] seeks to continue this path, the situation will get worse for the whole world. So, it would be better to engage in dialogue based on logic rather than force,” Pezeshkian emphasized.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the president stressed the need for a long-term strategic plan to expand cooperation between Iran and Armenia in mining, trade, economic affairs, tourism and culture, saying such a framework could deepen bilateral relations in various sectors.
He reaffirmed Iran’s determination to expand ties with Armenia across all fields, expressing hope that the progress achieved so far would lead to long-term cooperation and tangible results.
Pashinyan, for his part, said Armenia sought peace and stability in the region and was working to strengthen relations with neighboring countries in ways that lead to promotion of mutual development.
The Armenian prime minister pointed to great trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and added that Yerevan sought to expand interaction with Tehran in the energy sector.
Pezeshkian ended his day-long visit to Yerevan and returned to Tehran on Friday.
Addressing the summit, the president condemned the environmental destruction caused by US-Israeli military aggression, describing it as “ecocide” and calling on the international community to hold perpetrators accountable and help restore damaged ecosystems.