In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran no longer trusts negotiations with the United States, citing previous rounds of talks that were followed by attacks and sanctions. He indicated that Tehran is awaiting a response to its latest proposal aimed at ending the war. "We have no trust in the American side and do not know on what basis an understanding can be reached with it," Pezeshkian told the Qatar-based broadcaster in an interview aired on Saturday.
Pezeshkian, along with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, visited the US for the United Nations gathering of world leaders and proposed a deal to end fighting in the US-Israel war on Iran and to unblock the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Araghchi informed reporters that initial steps would take four to five days, with the Strait of Hormuz reopening on the sixth day, and discussions with the US commencing on the seventh day regarding a final deal on mutually agreed subjects, including Iran’s nuclear program.
The proposed plan includes the US lifting its naval blockade of Iranian ports, waiving sanctions on Iranian oil sales, releasing an estimated $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, and observing a ceasefire in the region, which would encompass Lebanon and Yemen. In return, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for a significant portion of the world’s traded oil and gas, which has become a key leverage point for Tehran.
Pezeshkian mentioned that mediators Qatar and Pakistan are conveying Iran’s messages to Washington and emphasized that the negotiations are based on a previous memorandum of understanding reached in June, which lapsed last month. He stated that the US must clarify its position on that agreement.
The conflict began in late February when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian denied that Iran was responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the US had closed the routes before Iran. He described this closure as a natural response to being cut off.
He expressed that the crisis could be resolved through negotiations rather than force, stating that the waterway would reopen to commercial shipping if talks successfully ended the war. Pezeshkian labeled the US as the aggressor in the conflict, claiming that Iran has not attacked any country in 200 years. He accused the US and Israel of dragging regional countries into the war, believing that the Iranian system would collapse quickly.
Pezeshkian asserted that Iran has withstood American and Israeli attacks and will continue to do so, noting that neither the killing of an Iranian commander nor economic pressure has caused Iranians to retreat. He stated that Iran targets bases used by US forces in the region because operations against Iran are launched from those locations, and emphasized that Iran seeks to operate within international law and only responds when others violate it.
He also connected the imposition of sanctions on Iran to tactics used by Israel in its conflict with Palestinians in Gaza, stating, "Those who deny Iranians medicine and raw materials are the same people who cut off food and water from Gaza." He warned that those who believe they can target Iranians through sanctions have miscalculated.
Pezeshkian expressed that regional security could be achieved through cooperation among the countries in the region, stating, "We do not need a regional policeman," and accused the US and Israel of attempting to create divisions among Islamic countries to control regional resources. He mentioned that Saudi Arabia could play a role in uniting the Islamic world.
Regarding the situation in Yemen, where fighting has escalated between Iran-aligned Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed government forces, he stated that the actions of the Houthis are not connected to Iran and expressed solidarity with those subjected to injustice. He urged both the Houthis and Saudi Arabia to resolve their differences through dialogue, offering Iran’s assistance in ending the dispute and asserting, "We will not be warmongers."
On domestic matters, Pezeshkian accused Iran’s enemies of trying to create discord among Iranian officials, asserting that the country is experiencing unprecedented unity and cohesion. He mentioned meeting twice with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the war began, including one meeting that lasted seven hours and addressed significant issues. He pledged to address what he termed "accumulated imbalances in Iran’s internal conditions."
Pezeshkian concluded by stating that the US and Israel aim to prevent Iran from becoming self-reliant, but emphasized, "We will invest in our people."