Iran president vows to ‘firmly defend’ country’s positions at UN

New York: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday vowed to "firmly defend" his country's positions before departing for New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

"We emerged with our heads held high, and this is a source of dignity and pride for all of us. Therefore, we will firmly defend our positions in international forums," he said before flying out of Iran, according to footage broadcast by state television.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York on Monday, leading Tehran’s diplomatic delegation at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, the foreign ministry said.

Araghchi is the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.