During his visit to the Middle East last week, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a speech in Saudi Arabia in which he accused Iran’s leadership of corruption, theft, and plundering the country’s wealth. With the U.S. setting tough conditions in nuclear talks, threatening to strike nuclear facilities, and given the current state of the Iranian axis, the frustration is palpable. The Iranian president’s speech this morning (Wednesday) only reinforces that impression.
“The U.S. is the real thief”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a scathing speech attacking the United States – and Trump in particular.
Speaking at a memorial for former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash last year, Pezeshkian said: “Trump accuses Iranian leaders of theft while he himself steals the wealth of entire nations.”
He added, “The United States is the real thief.”
Pezeshkian argued that Iran’s resistance to what he called Western efforts to “loot its resources” is the true reason why the U.S. brands the country as a terrorist state. “Those who block us from preserving our national wealth are the ones accusing us of terrorism. Those who commit terrorism and robbery are the ones pointing fingers.”
Second speech in less than a week
Pezeshkian appears increasingly frustrated with the negotiations with the United States and with the overall situation in the Middle East. This was his second public address in under a week in which he launched a verbal offensive, aiming to entrench a narrative that portrays Iran as the real victim and the West, led by the U.S., as the true aggressor.
In the same speech, Pezeshkian accused the U.S. and Israel of sending “contradictory messages in the name of peace,” while in practice, “continuing to develop destructive weapons, threaten war, and destabilize the region.”
Regarding the situation in Gaza, the Iranian president presented a false death toll, claiming more than 60,000 fatalities, also falsely claiming: “Israel is preventing food, water, and medicine from reaching the population in Gaza, and the United States continues to supply it with weapons and support,” he charged.
Threats to withdraw from negotiations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also expressed signs of frustration. He hinted at the possibility of Iran pulling out of negotiations with the United States. In a statement today, Araghchi said Iran is still “considering whether to participate in the next round of negotiations.”
He added, “We are facing unreasonable demands at the negotiation table, but we have not given up on diplomacy.” According to him, a date has been proposed for the next round, but Iran has yet to confirm its participation. Araghchi stressed that Iran’s position remains firm: “We have already made unnecessary concessions, but the statements from the other side are leading nowhere. Enrichment will continue, with or without an agreement.”
