Iranian President Calls U.S. Government Terrorists in U.N. Speech

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called the U.S. government "terrorists" during his U.N. General Assembly speech, directly retaliating against President Donald Trump's threat to "annihilate" Iran. Pezeshkian cited U.S. and Israeli actions, including the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and bombings of Iranian sites, as evidence of terrorism. He also criticized Israel's nuclear arsenal and Gaza war, while insisting Iran seeks only peaceful nuclear technology and is ready for negotiations without coercion. The speech came amid reported U.S.-Iran talks in New York involving envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the assembly, while AI CEOs Sam Altman and Dario Amodei urged Security Council regulation of their technology.