Iran's president tells Trump it will never 'bend the knee'

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi addressed the United Nations General Assembly after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States would “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if a peace deal was not reached promptly. In his speech, Raisi condemned the threat as bullying, vowed that the Iranian people would never “bend the knee,” and insisted that any agreement must end the U.S. blockade that prevents Iranian vessels from using the Strait of Hormuz. He also reaffirmed Iran’s right to a civilian nuclear program while rejecting any pursuit of nuclear weapons, and he called for the release of frozen Iranian assets. The U.S. delegation walked out as Raisi spoke, underscoring the heightened diplomatic tension.

The confrontation follows a series of escalations that began with a joint U.S.–Israeli strike in February that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son and caused civilian casualties in Minab and Lamerd, where Iranian officials say more than 175 people, two‑thirds of them children, were killed. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. bases, and it effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly 20 percent of global oil and gas shipments flow—by targeting commercial vessels. In April the United States imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports, and a preliminary agreement reached in June to reopen the strait collapsed after Iran resumed attacks on shipping and the U.S. reinstated its blockade. Iran now demands control over the strait and the collection of transit fees, a condition the United States has rejected.

Despite the hostile rhetoric, indirect talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, mediated by Qatar, were held on the sidelines of the UN session, marking the first dialogue since June. Witkoff expressed optimism that the discussions could be constructive, while Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai emphasized that Tehran’s core demands—ending the blockade and freeing assets—remain unchanged. The episode also coincided with a separate incident in the Strait of Hormuz in which an attack on a cargo ship killed an Indian sailor, prompting India to call for unimpeded passage. The unfolding diplomatic and military dynamics suggest that any resolution will require addressing both the strategic control of the strait and the broader security concerns that have fueled the recent cycle of threats and retaliation.

⚡ Effects Interpreter