TEHRAN- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian broke with his usual positive and calm demeanor as he addressed his American counterpart during a gathering in Western Iran, saying that Donald Trump would never manage to get his way with Iran through threats and lies.

Trump is currently in West Asia, completing a three-country tour of the Persian Gulf. Apart from billion-dollar weapons and investment deals with Arabs, his visit has so far featured multiple provocative statements against Iran, which the president himself seems to believe would ultimately help him reach an agreement with the country during ongoing negotiations on its nuclear program.

During his short but controversial stay in the region, the American president has called Iran a supporter of "terrorism" on multiple occasions, referring to Resistance groups Tehran has been backing in the fight against Israeli occupation. Trump has also described Iran as the "biggest destructive" force in the region, mocked the country's financial and economic struggles stemming from decades of U.S. sanctions, and said he wants to sign a new nuclear deal with Iran. He has said "very bad things" will happen if Iran does not agree to a new deal.

"[Trump] is naive for thinking that he can come to our region, threaten us, and hope that we back down against his demands. We will never negotiate our dignity. This is in the blood of every Iranian," Pezeshkian told a group of academic elites during a gathering in Kermanshah Province.

Pezeshkian said Trump is also hoping to demotivate Iranians and create divisions within the country. "You will only achieve that goal in your dreams. Iran will continue its progress with or without a deal."

The Iranian president also condemned Trump for suggesting that Iran is supporting "terrorism", reminding him that he in fact ordered the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian commander who spearheaded the fight against Daesh terrorists during the 2010s. General Soleimani lost his life in a 2020 U.S. drone attack in Baghdad.

"You have tried to bring Iran to its knees for the past 47 years. We have existed for thousands of years and will continue as one for the years to come."

Pezeshkian took office as Iran's president during the summer of 2024. He showed far more willingness to negotiate a nuclear deal with Washington compared to his conservative rival, after Trump unraveled the original one in 2018. Nevertheless, Pezeshkian's confidence in the U.S. administration seems to be diminishing, as Trump and his cabinet continue to express a desire for diplomacy while concurrently issuing military threats and enacting fresh sanctions against Iran