Yerevan, Armenia — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday reiterated that Tehran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, dismissing claims to the contrary as “lies” and accusing its critics of spreading propaganda against the country.
Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, according to a statement published on the Iranian president’s official website.
“Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, and we consider the destructive propaganda against our country as a lie,” Pezeshkian said, referring to the position of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who had opposed the development of nuclear weapons.
Pezeshkian stressed that Iran remained open to dialogue but would not accept coercion.
“They (the United States) think they can force us to surrender, but we will not acquiesce to coercion,” he said.
He criticised US sanctions against Iran, arguing that they violated humanitarian principles, and described recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran as “unjustifiable and inhumane.”
Kobakhidze, meanwhile, reiterated Georgia’s opposition to foreign interference in the internal affairs of other countries, emphasising the importance of friendship and cooperation between Iran and Georgia.
Highlighting the geographical and cultural ties between the two countries, the Georgian prime minister said bilateral relations should be built on mutual cooperation. He also expressed hope that both sides could use diplomatic channels and their foreign ministries to identify common ground on economic cooperation and tourism.
In a separate meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Pezeshkian said Washington must recognise that Iran would not surrender and would continue engaging with the international community while relying on its people and strengthening coordination with neighbouring countries.
He warned that continued US sanctions and pressure would create further difficulties for Iran and the wider world. Pezeshkian urged Washington to pursue dialogue based on logic rather than force.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US bases and assets across the region, while tightening its control over the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire between the warring parties was reached on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the regional conflict on all fronts.
Under the memorandum, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on August 17, to reach a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme and the removal of sanctions. However, the negotiations failed to achieve sufficient progress as tensions continued to escalate.
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