In a rare interview aired Tuesday with an American television news network, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that his country had sought to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump and said it would not try to block a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We do whatever we can in order for peace to prevail in the region. We will spare no effort in order for the prisoners to be released,” Pezeshkian told NBC when asked about the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Pezeshkian did not specify whether by “prisoners” he meant Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel, the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, or both.
Pezeshkian, who was inaugurated in July following the death of his predecessor in a helicopter crash, used moderate language and issued no explicit threats in the interview, which he gave in Persian.
Asked about the prospect of an Israeli attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Pezeshkian said: “You see, naturally enough, we will react to any action. We do not fear war, but we do not seek it.” He added: “I certainly hope that it will not transpire because it will be to the detriment of all the actors, not only and merely us.”
He blamed the United States for the collapse of an agreement reached under former President Barack Obama that offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for its agreement to dial back its nuclear program. Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term in office, citing noncompliance by Iran.
“We upheld all the commitments that we had to commit to,” Pezeshkian said. “But unfortunately it was the other party that did not live up to its promises and obligations.”
Responding to allegations by Trump’s campaign team that Iran was responsible for attempts on his life last year, Pezeshkian said: “This is yet another scheme that the foreigners are following in order to feed into Iranophobia.” There was “never” any plan to kill Trump, he said.
Pezeshkian repeated the official Iranian line, denying that Iran was developing nuclear weapons despite claims to the contrary by Israel, the United States, France and other countries, as well as evidence suggesting the existence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons project.
“Whatever we have done thus far has been peaceful. We do not seek to create nuclear weaponry or armament. However, they accuse us of seeking the manufacturing of a bomb. This is a scheme they’re trying to follow in order to fabricate some sort of a pretext. This is not true,” he said.
Pezeshkian dismissed claims that Iran had suffered major defeats during its latest conflict with Israel, in which Israel incapacitated its strongest proxy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon.
“We’re more coherent, we’re more robust, we have better participation, we have a more solid security in the country,” the Iranian president responded.
