Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has told the UN General Assembly that Iran has never sought to build nuclear weapons, whilst condemning Israeli airstrikes as a betrayal of diplomacy during ongoing negotiations.

In his second address to the UN, the Iranian president sounded more downbeat about the ongoing negotiations with the West over the country's nuclear programme while lamenting the deaths of those killed in the so-called 12-day war with Israel.

Pezeshkian said, "I declare once again in this assembly that Iran has never sought to build a nuclear bomb and never will. We do not seek nuclear weapons."

He accused three European countries of attempting to restore cancelled UN Security Council resolutions against Iran at US direction after failing to bring Iran "to its knees" through 10 years of breach of commitments and military aggression support.

The Iranian president said airstrikes by Israel and the US on Iranian cities occurred "precisely when we were on the path of negotiations" and constituted "a great betrayal of diplomacy and efforts to establish peace."

He stated the aggression led to the martyrdom of commanders, scientists, women and children, dealing a heavy blow to international law.

Pezeshkian told the assembly that Iranian people, despite facing the "severest, longest and heaviest economic sanctions, psychological and media warfare and continuous efforts to create division," united behind their armed forces when the first bullet was fired on their soil and continue honouring their martyrs' blood.

The president condemned what he described as Israel's "Greater Israel" project after nearly two years of "genocide and mass starvation in occupied territories," claiming the plan encompasses many regional territories.

He said, "No one in the world is safe from this regime's aggressive intentions", based on bullying and intimidation.

Pezeshkian declared "there is no place for bloodshed in the Middle East" and stated Iran wants "a powerful Iran alongside powerful neighbours and a bright future."

He said Iran welcomes peace and stability, believing the region's future must be based on peace and stability, whilst Israel disrupts regional tranquillity.

Earlier on September 23, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, said that negotiating with the US government would not serve Iran's national interests in the current situation.

In a highly anticipated televised speech, he argued that it would not benefit the country, avert any harm, and would instead lead to "great and irreparable damage."

“That's not negotiation, that's dictation; that's imposition,” he said, stressing Iran will continue its enrichment programme.

The cleric also accused the US of using threats, stating that if Iran were to accept negotiations under these conditions, it would signal that the country is susceptible to threats and would immediately surrender.

Pezeshkian was followed by the President of Panama, William Samoei Ruto, who proposed greater representation for smaller countries in the UN following months of threats from the US, which threatened to take control of the small country if it did not stop working with China.