Iran will not surrender to bullies: Masoud Pezeshkian in New Delhi

Iran will not surrender to what it describes as foreign “oppression” or “bullying” and will stand firm to protect its national interests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday, as tensions escalated sharply across West Asia.

Addressing a gathering of religious leaders, intellectuals, academicians and business representatives in New Delhi, Pezeshkian said Tehran was committed to peaceful coexistence in the Gulf region but would resist any foreign attempt to destabilise Iran or create divisions within its society.

“We will not surrender to oppression. Iran is standing up to Israel and the US because we will not be bullied, and if they push us, we will push them back,” Pezeshkian said.

The Iranian president accused the US and Israel of targeting civilians and critical infrastructure, describing them as the “real militants”. Referring to a US strike near a primary school in southern Iran, he claimed that 168 children were killed in the attack.

“They should take on our soldiers instead of targeting hospitals, infrastructure and livelihoods,” Pezeshkian said. He added that attempts to force Iran into submission through shortages of essential supplies would not succeed.

“They think people will surrender because of the lack of supplies but the people of Iran will not surrender,” he said.

Pezeshkian's remarks came against the backdrop of heightened hostilities in West Asia, including fresh US airstrikes on Iranian targets and Washington's efforts to increase economic pressure on Tehran through sanctions.

Comparing the actions of the US and Israel to someone riding an uncontrolled animal, Pezeshkian said the two countries were “making errors like someone riding a wild horse without reining it in”.

“That will lead them to doom and the fires of hell,” he said, while stressing that countries in the region and beyond must find a way to coexist.

“God created Iranians, Chinese, Indians and others, and we have to live with each other. We will not surrender to oppression, we will keep supporting the oppressed,” the Iranian president said.

The gathering was attended by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Patanjali Ayurved co-founder and managing director Acharya Balkrishna, and Observer Research Foundation director general Sujan R. Chinoy, among others.

Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday morning for a three-day visit, primarily to attend the BRICS summit.

Ahead of the gathering, he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with discussions focusing on the evolving situation in West Asia as well as India-Iran bilateral relations.

Pezeshkian described his meeting with Modi as “nice talks” and said the discussions could pave the way for greater cooperation in trade, technology and culture.

He also highlighted Iran's strategic importance as a potential supplier of energy and food to the wider region.

“With its vast reserves and strategic location,” Iran is ready to play the role of a strategic partner in supplying energy and food, Pezeshkian said.

Earlier, speaking at the BRICS Business Forum, Pezeshkian called for a greater shift towards the use of national currencies in trade among BRICS members.

He positioned Iran's geographical location, energy reserves and transport infrastructure as key assets that could help connect the bloc's economies and strengthen trade.

Pezeshkian said BRICS should move beyond its combined economic potential and develop a more integrated framework for trade, investment and joint financing.

Iran's push for greater use of local currencies comes amid broader efforts within BRICS to reduce dependence on traditional international payment systems and strengthen economic cooperation among member states.

Separately, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi described India as a “great emerging country” and praised New Delhi's leadership of BRICS.

“The BRICS is a very important institution and is playing a very important role. I am sure that India is able to lead the BRICS and the countries that are members of this group in an excellent way,” Araghchi told reporters.

He acknowledged that BRICS members hold differing views on several issues but said there was broad support within the grouping for strengthening national currencies in trade.

“Inside the BRICS, there are different opinions, but all members of the group believe that national currencies should be strengthened and trade between the member states should be conducted through national currencies,” he said.

Araghchi added that the possibility of introducing a common currency for trade among BRICS members remains under consideration.

With agency inputs