President Pezeshkian says Iran does not seek war and will not yield on nuclear gains

TEHRAN (Iran News)  President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to peaceful nuclear technology, emphasizing the country is neither seeking war nor will it compromise on its nuclear achievements.

Speaking at a ceremony marking National Nuclear Technology Day on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran stands strong in the face of threats. “The more they threaten, the firmer we stand,” he said.

“We are not seeking war, but we will stand strong against any aggression with the knowledge and power that our loved ones have created,” he said.

Tensions have skyrocketed between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks, especially after President Donald Trump warned that there would be “bombing” against Iran if it refused to negotiate with the United States. On Monday, the U.S. president threatened once again that if the talks were unsuccessful, “Iran is going to be in great danger.”

On March 7, Trump announced that he had sent a letter to Iran calling for negotiations. Tehran responded to the letter later that month, rejecting direct talks with Washington over its contradictory and hostile approach but remains open to indirect negotiations on its civilian nuclear program.

Rejecting Western accusations that Iran seeks nuclear weapons, President Pezeshkian said, “Who can set policy higher than the Leader of the Revolution [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei], who has clearly declared we are not after atomic bombs?”

He further clarified the Leader’s position on negotiations with the United States, saying Ayatollah Khamenei only opposes direct talks, given the animosity shown by U.S. state officials toward the Islamic Republic.

Earlier in the day, the president oversaw the unveiling of new nuclear achievements of the country’s scientists.

“These are strategic and technological achievements in the fields of nuclear fuel cycle, health, healthcare, and industry that play an important role in the health of society and people’s lives,” Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said at the unveiling ceremony.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei also commemorated the day, saying in an X post that safeguarding the achievements of the Iranian nation in the field of nuclear knowledge and its diverse peaceful applications is a national responsibility.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as in the past, will use all its capabilities to protect the rights of the Iranian nation in the nuclear field,” he added.