Iranology Foundation chief says Pezeshkian's UN speech countered false narratives

The head of Iran's Iranology Foundation, Ali Akbar Salehi, has said that President Masoud Pezeshkian's recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly served a dual purpose: presenting Iran's official position to the international community and countering what he described as false narratives about the country.

According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, Salehi emphasised that the speech was significant not only for articulating Iran's stated policies but also for pushing back against misrepresentations of the country circulating internationally.

Salehi did not elaborate publicly on which specific narratives he considered to be false, though his comments reflect a broader pattern in which senior Iranian officials have used platforms like the United Nations General Assembly to respond to international criticism of the country's policies and conduct.

Context of the UN address

Pezeshkian's address came during the annual high-level session of the UN General Assembly, when heads of state and senior officials from around the world deliver speeches on a wide range of international issues. Iranian presidents have historically used the platform to present their country's views on regional and global affairs, and to respond to Western and other criticism.

Salehi's remarks, delivered in his capacity as head of the Iranology Foundation, add to domestic Iranian commentary framing the speech as a diplomatic success. Independent assessments of the speech's international reception were not included in the report.