Pezeshkian spoke with “NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas” during a trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
His comments came after Trump said in his UN speech on Tuesday that US attacks in June had hit “Iran’s key nuclear facility, totally obliterating everything.”
Asked if he was concerned about more war coming to Iran and an expected meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Pezeshkian struck a defiant tone.
“We’re not afraid of war. We do not seek war,” he said.
“President Trump has said that his administration has come to create peace, but the path that they have embarked upon will set fire to the entire region.”
He went on to say that while Iran has “never started a war…will never be starting any wars.”
“But whomever attacks us, we will do our utmost to give them the strongest answer. We will certainly augment our capabilities on a daily basis so as to prevent anyone from attacking us,” Pezeshkian added.
Pezeshkian discussed an injury he sustained during this summer’s war with Israel and said international nuclear inspectors were welcome to visit his country.
“They hit us because they were seeking to martyr us like everyone else. We are not afraid of death and martyrdom. We have lived our lives. I have lived my life,” he said.
As for his wounded leg, Pezeshkian said “it wasn’t anything special.”
“We can just say that it was a hematoma formed in the region of the knee. We dropped the needed liquid and blood, and after that, we got over it,” he added.
Llamas asked about a Washington Post report based on a review of satellite imagery and independent analysis indicating increased work at an underground site in Iran that analysts say could be a potential future nuclear facility, and whether the country was building another nuclear facility. Pezeshkian said nuclear inspectors were welcome to visit his country.
“If they are really telling the truth we have been … we have come to an agreement, most recently, with the IAEA, they can come and inspect on the ground,” Pezeshkian said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency, a watchdog body.
“To put something out based on purported satellite photography it’s not pertinent in order to create frameworks that are not based in reality. In fact, would it not be easier and much more tangible and verifiable to have inspections in person on the ground?” he added.
On Friday, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted on a Russian and Chinese resolution to delay reimposing sanctions. But despite this, and the diplomatic push from Pezeshkian and his foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, it appeared that the penalties would be reimposed after the Saturday deadline.
MNA