Iran delivers ‘propaganda’ from UN podium, calls on Middle East to unite around Tehran

In a speech at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he was the mediator in the Middle East, and in this context he accused Israel of supporting terrorism.

Pezeshkian called on the UN to “examine” contemporary history and said: “Iran has never started a war. It has only defended itself heroically against external aggression, causing the aggressors to regret their actions,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran does not “occupy” territory or exploit resources for other countries.

“He has repeatedly made various proposals to his neighbors and international forums aimed at establishing lasting peace and stability,” he said. “We have emphasized the importance of unity in the region and establishing a strong region.”

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Iran’s claims to be a Middle East mediator are in stark contrast to its repeated involvement in proxy wars across the region, most notably in Syria and Yemen. This has deepened divisions between Iran and other powerful Sunni states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

But Iran’s deep involvement in the Middle East extends to another area that nation states typically do not address: terrorism.

While Pezeshkian claimed from the podium Tuesday that Israel “overtly and covertly” supports the Islamic State, Tehran is widely known to not only support terrorist organizations staunchly opposed to Israel, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, but also to help build links between the Taliban and al-Qaeda, providing terrorist networks with weapons, funds and even safe havens.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to protect its own security, not to create insecurity for others,” Pezeshkian also claimed. “We want peace for all and do not seek war or quarrel with anyone.”

Iran, which has increasingly aligned itself with prominent Western adversaries such as Russia and North Korea, has tried to claim that it has not taken sides in Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, despite having supplied Moscow with drones and, more recently, short-range ballistic missiles for its war effort.

“We strive for lasting peace and security for the people of Ukraine and Russia. The Islamic Republic of Iran opposes the war and emphasizes the urgent need to end the hostilities in Ukraine. We support all peaceful solutions and believe that dialogue is the only way to resolve this crisis,” the Iranian president said.

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“We need a new paradigm to address global challenges. Such a paradigm must focus on opportunities rather than be obsessed with perceived threats,” he added.

Pezeshkian called on “neighboring and brotherly countries” to unite with Iran to achieve what is best for the Middle East.

But the Iranian president addressed the U.S. directly, saying Tehran wants to “transcend” past obstacles and engage with Washington despite its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal under President Trump and subsequent sanctions and trade restrictions that have largely cut it off from the rest of the world.

“My message to all countries pursuing a counterproductive strategy towards Iran is to learn from history,” Pezeshkian said, before calling the US sanctions a “crime against humanity.”

“We have a chance to break through these limitations and enter a new era,” he added.

But Pezeshkian’s comments rang hollow to some and were, according to Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran expert and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, suffused with “propaganda.”

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“Short, but certainly not sweet,” he told Fox News Digital. “Pezeshkian was teasing the prospect of a renewed diplomatic agreement, something his regime would use as a literal shield against pressure on its expanding nuclear program and, in a way, against supporting a multi-front war against Israel.”

“By blaming former President Trump in his speech and bringing with him technocratic personnel involved in the JCPOA in 201(8), Pezeshkian hopes to win the support of a certain crowd in Washington and Europe and wait out the SnapBack period, which expires in 2025,” added Ben Taleblu. However, despite Pezeshkian’s sweet comments about resuming diplomatic talks with the US, it is not expected to gain much favor from either political side as they continue to accelerate their nuclear weapons development.