Iran President Tells Trump It Will Never 'Bend the Knee'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has firmly declared that his nation will never bow its head or bend the knee in the face of mounting sanctions and US pressure. Speaking on the international stage, Pezeshkian characterized such threats as a sign of a bullying mentality, while maintaining that Tehran remains prepared for meaningful diplomacy and dialogue free from coercion.

During his address, Pezeshkian displayed photographs of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike on his residence in February. He also presented graphic images documenting civilian casualties, noting that over 175 people, two-thirds of them children, were killed in missile strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd on that same day, an incident the US stated it is still investigating.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Pezeshkian insisted that any prospective agreement must include the complete termination of the US naval blockade, which currently prevents Iranian vessels from utilizing vital Gulf waterways. He argued that it is unjust for global commerce to benefit from the Strait of Hormuz while Iran is denied access. Furthermore, he reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to a peaceful civilian nuclear program, explicitly stating there will be no nuclear weapons.