Pezeshkian says US and Israel are trying to pit countries against each other

What Happened

On 26 September 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking upon his return to Tehran from the UN General Assembly, said Muslim countries should "wake up" and not fight each other, and that the US and Israel "are trying to pit us against each other," according to Iran's IRNA news agency. Pezeshkian described attending the UN General Assembly as "an opportunity to state that those who violate international law and talk about trust are the most destructive and untrustworthy in the world." He claimed that at the UN he highlighted "the oppression of the Iranian people and the crimes of the US and Zionists [Israel]" and described Iranians and the Middle East as "captives of their cowardice and bullying." All statements are attributed to Pezeshkian via IRNA; the allegations against the US and Israel are not independently verified in the article.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Pezeshkian used the UN General Assembly return to frame the US and Israel as divisive external actors seeking to fragment Muslim countries, at a time of heightened Iran-Israel tensions and US maximum pressure. The rhetoric signals an attempt to build regional Muslim solidarity and counter US and Israeli narratives, though it included no new policy announcements. It may influence domestic and regional perceptions and set the tone for Iran's diplomatic messaging.

Watch For

Monitor for any official US or Israeli reaction to Pezeshkian's remarks; any public statements from GCC states, Turkey, or other Muslim-majority countries regarding his appeal for unity; and whether IRNA or Iranian officials release further details of his UN General Assembly speech. Also watch for any concrete diplomatic initiatives or shifts in Iranian regional posture following the speech.