TEHRAN – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering commitment to international law while stressing that Tehran will not yield to coercion or tolerate the denial of its legal rights, particularly in the context of its peaceful nuclear program.

Speaking in a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, President Pezeshkian underlined the transparency of Iran’s nuclear activities and reiterated the Islamic Republic’s longstanding cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Iran has nothing to hide. Our nuclear program has always been peaceful and is fully supervised by the IAEA,” he stated. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to exert pressure or strip the Iranian nation of its legal entitlements.”

He further emphasized that Iran's nuclear doctrine is rooted in a binding religious decree (fatwa) issued by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, which strictly prohibits the development or use of nuclear weapons.

Pezeshkian expressed regret that despite years of cooperation and inspections, Iran’s nuclear program continues to be the target of baseless accusations, misinformation campaigns, and politically motivated media narratives.

The Iranian president also addressed the recent Israeli and American military operations against Iran, saying that Israel’s 12-day assault—backed by Washington—was launched while Iran was engaged in indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States.

“The Israeli regime's aggression constituted a gross violation of international law and occurred while diplomatic efforts were still ongoing,” Pezeshkian said. “Following that, the United States, in full coordination with Israel, bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities—sites under constant IAEA monitoring.”

Pezeshkian criticized the IAEA’s silence over the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and said the Iranian people expected the agency to uphold its mandate and condemn the attacks in line with its governing statutes.

On June 13, Israeli forces launched a wide-scale and unprovoked assault on Iran, killing over 1,100 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. On June 22, the United States escalated the conflict by bombing three key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—an act Tehran says violated the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

In response to the coordinated strikes, Iran's Armed Forces launched precision retaliatory operations targeting Israeli military sites in the occupied territories and the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American base in West Asia.

The operations culminated on June 24, when Iran successfully halted the military escalation, effectively forcing a pause in hostilities.

“Despite the severity of the attacks, Iran responded with calculated restraint and strength, in accordance with its right to self-defense,” Pezeshkian said. “We have never sought war or regional instability, and our track record proves Iran has always played a key role in promoting peace and security in the region.”

Turning to bilateral ties, President Pezeshkian highlighted the historic and friendly relations between Iran and Armenia. He reiterated Tehran’s commitment to fostering constructive engagement with all its neighbors based on mutual respect and recognition of territorial sovereignty.

For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan condemned the Israeli regime’s acts of aggression against Iran and emphasized Yerevan’s strong interest in deepening ties with Tehran. He extended an official invitation to President Pezeshkian to visit Armenia to explore ways of boosting bilateral cooperation.