Bashraqiyan: Riyadh is capable of uniting the Islamic world

Washington, D.C. – Agencies: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed that there is no trust in direct negotiations with Washington due to repeated attacks and the imposition of sanctions following each round of talks, while stressing that Middle East security must be achieved through regional cooperation among countries in the region without the need for an “external policeman,” as he put it. In an interview with Al Jazeera, the Iranian president pointed to ongoing Qatari and Pakistani mediation to convey messages to Washington, and expressed his country’s readiness to help end the Yemeni crisis, asserting that Iran’s strategy does not aim to price wars. Pezeshkian considered Saudi Arabia capable of playing a pivotal role in unifying Islamic countries.

In a related development, Pezeshkian said his country would allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to enter, noting the possibility of reaching agreements with the agency on this matter. However, he described the prospect of meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, as difficult due to “an atmosphere of mistrust” prevailing between the two countries. Trump had previously proposed a meeting with Pezeshkian in New York this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

In an interview with CBS, the Iranian president stated that his country would allow UN nuclear inspectors to enter, after they had previously been denied full access. He said, “If they wish to come and conduct inspections, we can reach understandings and agreements on this specific issue within the framework of negotiations.” He denied that his country seeks to possess a nuclear weapon, stating that “developing nuclear weapons is haram (forbidden).” He added that even if some in Iran wanted to build a nuclear weapon, “religiously, they are not permitted to take this path.”

Pezeshkian affirmed that the new plan proposed by Tehran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz was formulated “in coordination” with the Supreme Leader and would be implemented “without any problems” if the United States agreed. He announced the formation of a six-member team “including representatives from various organizations and bodies, including the military, parliament, and government.”