Iranian President Pezeshkian Discusses Nuclear Program and Regional Proxies in Fox News Interview
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in a Fox News interview that Tehran is willing to dilute its 60% enriched uranium under an international agreement, while denying direct control over regional proxies.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sat down for an unprecedented face-to-face interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The conversation took place against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran.
Uranium Enrichment and the Nuclear Issue
When asked whether Iran chooses war or a deal, Pezeshkian stated that his country did not choose war and that it was forced upon them. Addressing the uranium enriched to 60%, Pezeshkian said Iran would be willing to dilute the material under international law and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while placing it under inspection as part of an agreement.
We did not choose war. The war was forced upon us. We are not looking for war.
However, the Iranian president refused to disclose the exact location of the 440 kilograms of enriched uranium and questioned why IAEA inspectors had previously left the country. He reiterated that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had issued a fatwa prohibiting nuclear weapons.
Regional Proxies and Government Control
Baier repeatedly pressed Pezeshkian regarding the Iranian government's actual control over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and regional proxies such as the Houthis and Hezbollah. Pezeshkian claimed that the Houthis act independently and do not take orders from Tehran, while maintaining that Iran has not directed attacks on commercial shipping since he took office.
On domestic issues, the president defended his administration's handling of protests, refusing to explicitly rule out the execution of demonstrators who turn violent, while noting that peaceful protest is a protected right.
