“Who is he?”: Iran’s President says Trump cannot deny Iran its nuclear rights

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected Trump’s denial of Iran’s “lawful nuclear rights,” questioned Trump’s authority to deprive his nation, and insisted Iran acts only in self-defense without seeking to widen the war — despite having carried out attacks across the Middle East against multiple countries, including Gulf Arab states and a British territory.

VIA IRAN INTERNATIONAL:

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said US president Donald Trump had no right to deny Iran what he described as its lawful nuclear rights, while insisting that Tehran was not seeking to widen the war and was acting only in self-defense.

“The US president says Iran should not make use of its nuclear rights, but he does not answer for what crime,” Pezeshkian said. “Who is he, after all, to deprive a nation of its legal rights?”

He also said: “Iran is not seeking to expand the war and has not started any conflict and will not do so. We have not attacked any country, and under the current circumstances we have no intention of attacking any side. We are only engaged in legitimate self-defense.”

During the conflict, Iran carried out attacks across the region, including against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, the British overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and the West Bank. Other alleged activity was reported in Azerbaijan, while maritime targets were said to include Thai-flagged ships.

Pezeshkian condemned attacks on civilians and scientific institutions, saying: “The assassination of scientists, attacks on scientific centers, targeting innocent people and the killing of 168 schoolchildren have no justification, and no free human being in the world accepts such behavior.”