Israel denies talk of ceasefire amid escalation with Hezbollah

Iranian social media users compared Pezeshkian’s call for mutual disarmament between Iran and Israel to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, suggesting that Pezeshkian is attempting to trigger the decline of the Islamic Republic, much like Gorbachev did with the Soviet Union.

Others, mostly loyalist hardliners in Tehran, have gone as far as calling for Pezeshkian’s impeachment and removal upon his return to Tehran. On Wednesday, thousands of Iranian social media users trended the hashtag #Pezeshkian's_Impeachment in Persian.

The hardline newspaper Kayhan which is close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's office used strong words in condemning Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for their remarks in New York. In a commentary headlined "Pezeshkian's uncalculated remarks, who is advising the President," the Kayhan wrote that Pezeshkian's comments were surprising and played into the hands of international and regional media.

After arriving in New York, Pezeshkian held a closed-door meeting with American reporters and columnists. Following the meeting, reports surfaced claiming he had suggested mutual disarmament if Israel agreed to do the same. While his foreign minister quickly denied these claims, Iran International obtained an audio file of the meeting, confirming that the Iranian president had indeed made those remarks.

Pezeshkian said, "We are prepared to give up all our weapons, provided Israel also disarms, and an international organization steps in to ensure security in the region. We don't even need them—we know how to secure our own safety."

Kayhan criticized Pezeshkian's remarks as a "slip of the tongue" and faulted him for his inability to deliver effective speeches. Kayhan argued that these comments could be interpreted as Iran recognizing Israel, contradicting the principles of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The daily went on to advise Pezeshkian to dismiss his current advisers, particularly those behind the 2015 nuclear deal—presumably Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi. Kayhan accused these individuals of lacking a proper understanding of international relations.

Meanwhile, the IRGC's daily newspaper Javan also harshly criticized Pezeshkian and called him a poor speaker and repeated Kayhan's accusations about his advisers. "Those who brokered the nuclear deal are saying that they will remain in New York for a few days after Pezeshkian leaves on Wednesday and try to pretend that they can have some achievements during those few days."

Javan quoted Pezeshkian's statement and sharply criticized both him and his advisers. The hardline newspaper condemned the idea of disarmament, taking aim at the presidential team for suggesting that after Iran and Israel lay down their arms, “an international organization can restore security in the region, although even that is not necessary." The paper directly blamed his advisers, holding them responsible for what it labeled a "shambolic statement."

Meanwhile, another hardline daily, Hamshahri, published by the Tehran Municipality, praised Pezeshkian as "The Voice of the Oppressed Palestinians" and commended the Iranian delegation's diplomatic efforts to build a consensus against Israel in New York. However, the paper did not specify which countries were aligned with the Islamic Republic in this so-called "consensus."

Ironically, the reformist daily Etemad, whose managing editor Elias Hazrati, acting as the government's News Dissemination Chief, had denied Pezeshkian's comments on Tuesday, ran a commentary titled "We are prepared for negotiations." The piece largely contradicted Hazrati’s stance as a state official. Critics had already flagged a potential conflict of interest when Hazrati was appointed to the post earlier in the month.

Ali Khamenei, the ultimate decider in Tehran, has remained silent on Pezeshkian’s visit to New York, likely giving him some leeway to portray the Islamic Republic as a reasonable regional power. Pezeshkian’s presidential campaign and post-election statements have consistently emphasized that lifting US economic sanctions is a top priority for a state facing both a serious economic crisis and the threat of war with Israel.

"When it comes to Lebanon, the U.S. military has no involvement in Israel's operations," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters, adding that an Israeli incursion did not appear imminent.

Israel has been targeting Hezbollah positions inside Lebanon since Monday, killing hundreds and injuring thousands.

"We keep striking and hitting them everywhere," Israel’s military commander Herzi Halevi told troops on Wednesday. "Your military boots ... will enter enemy territory, enter villages that Hezbollah has prepared as large military outposts, with underground infrastructure, staging points, and launchpads into our territory and carry out attacks on Israeli civilians", he added.

Tensions in the region have escalated sharply, with Israeli air strikes targeting Hezbollah leaders and hitting hundreds of sites across Lebanon, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee from the border area.

Hezbollah in turn has launched rockets and missiles towards Israel.

A missile reached Tel Aviv for the first time, according to a spokesperson for the Israeli government, who said that the missile was intercepted by Israel’s aerial defense system.

Hezbollah said the target was Israel's vaunted intelligence agency, Mossad.

President Joe Biden acknowledged on Wednesday the risk of an all-out war in the Middle East but also expressed hope for a possible settlement to the escalating conflicts in Gaza and with Hezbollah.

Singh, the Pentagon spokesperson, described the administration’s diplomatic push as a “full-court press”.

The Biden administration has been trying to avoid a full-scale war for nearly a year since October 7.

“Escalating this to an all-out war seems counterproductive to the stated objectives [of the Israeli government] which is peace and security along that line,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said, referring to Israel's border with Lebanon.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Wednesday accused the U.S. of backing Israel's ramp up of bombings and air strikes in Lebanon, rejecting Washington’s repeated assertions that it had no prior knowledge of attacks against Iran and its regional allies.

“In this battle, the (Israeli) enemy is equipped with the most advanced resources, and the United States stands behind it,” Khamenei said Wednesday, in his first substantive reaction since Israel began days of crushing attacks against Hezbollah that have killed hundreds and injured thousands.

“In this battle, the (Israeli) enemy is equipped with the most advanced resources, and the United States stands behind it,” Khamenei said Wednesday, in his first substantive reaction since Israel began days of crushing attacks against Hezbollah that have killed hundreds and injured thousands.

“The US claim that it’s unaware of Israel's actions and not involved in the matter is untrue.”

The US government has sought to distance itself from several unclaimed attacks against Iran and its allied armed groups in recent months which were almost certainly Israeli operations.

It did so after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran on 31 July, and when Hezbollah’s pagers and other communication devices exploded last week, maiming and blinding hundreds of Hezbollah members and many civilians.

Khamenei’s accusation against the Joe Biden administration comes as Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian ends his three-day US trip following his debut address to the UN General Assembly, in which he tried to strike a less hostile tone towards the West.

On Wednesday, Pezeshkian said in an interview with Al Jazeera that his administration is open to talks with those involved in the 2015 nuclear deal, but added that the US was not showing sufficient good will to restart talks.

“We have no issue with dialogue with the United States, but it has not fulfilled its commitments," Al Jazeera quoted Pezeshkian saying Wednesday.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon accused Iran’s new president of deceiving the world with his UN speech. “(Pezeshkian) is lying and unfortunately some people are buying it," he told Iran International on Wednesday.

Under Iran's theocratic system, Khamenei has the final say over matters of foreign policy, especially over relations with the United States. The Supreme Leader, who has ruled over Iran for 35 years, has championed confronting the American “Great Satan” and has led Iran toward ever-closer ties with Russia.

In his speech Wednesday, Khamenei dismissed critics inside the country who claim Iran under his leadership has become isolated from the world, emphasizing its connections with countries representing half of the global population.

“Some from within say that the Islamic Republic is at odds with the world, that it’s not on speaking terms with the world. This is untrue. Today, we are in contact and interact with countries where half of the world's population lives,” Khamenei said, in what appears to be a reference to Iran’s good relations with China and Russia.

But in a sign of persistent Western objections to Iranian policy, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday condemned the recent transfer of Iranian-made ballistic missiles to Russia, calling it a substantial escalation following the provision of Iranian drones used in Ukraine.

Ambassador Danny Danon told Iran International that Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian talks like's a moderate, speaks "nice in New York" but then sends "billions" to proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

On Monday, Pezeshkian told reporters during a visit to New York for the UN General Assembly meeting that Iran does not seek a wider war in the Middle East.

“We don’t want war. ... We want to live in peace,” Pezeshkian told reporters.

During his first address to the UNGA the following day, Iran's new president took aim at Israel, blaming the Jewish state for instability in the Mideast. He called for an immediate ceasefire and blamed Israel for assassinating "scientists, diplomats and guests" on Iranian soil.

Pezeshkian did not name Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas who was killed in Tehran on July 31. Haniyeh was in Iran at the time for the inauguration of Pezeshkian.

Danon called Pezeshkian "a dangerous man."

"I think that he knows how to play the game. And he played the game with the media, with the diplomats here. But when you look at the actions of the regime, the human rights abuses in Iran, the proxies that attack Israel and other forces of instability, you realize it's a dangerous regime. He's a dangerous man," said Danon.

Israel's UN Ambassador blamed the Islamic Republic of Iran for the conflict in Lebanon.

Danon said there are no territorial, economic or geopolitical disputes between Israel and Lebanon and that Iran-backed Hezbollah is the only force that has led to fighting between the two neighbors.

Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles into Israel early Wednesday, including a missile aimed at Tel Aviv that was the militant group's deepest strike yet. That marked a further escalation after Israeli strikes on Lebanon killed hundreds of people.

"The Lebanese people are suffering because the regime of Teheran that are using Lebanon as a launching pad against Israel."

"Ask yourself why we have a conflict now between Hezbollah and Israel. What is the reasoning of the conflict? We have no dispute over territory, no dispute over resources. It's only because the Iranian regime wanted to support Hamas and they ordered Hezbollah to support Hamas. And the people of Lebanon and Israel are suffering because of that," said Danon.

Tuesday morning at the UNGA, US President Joe Biden urged for calm. He said full-scale war is not in anyone's interest. He added that if even the situation escalates a diplomatic solution is still possible.

During Danon's interview with Iran International, he thanked the US for their support but said they need to do more to help Israel and urged nations to do more when diplomacy fails. In his view, Iran is not capable of engaging in a diplomatic solution.

When asked what the next steps are in Lebanon, he said Israel will continue to push back until Hezbollah is farther away from the border and residents can move back to their homes in North of Israel. Hundreds of thousands of people are displaced on both sides of the border.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly summit. Macron urged Pezeshkian to use his influence with Hezbollah to deescalate tensions.

The UN Security Council said it would meet on Wednesday evening to discuss the conflict.

“Hezbollah’s organizational and human strength far surpasses these notions. Their power, capabilities, and resilience are vastly superior to being significantly undermined by these martyrdoms,” Khamenei said on Wednesday.

“Undoubtedly, the loss of an individual, particularly a commander with a distinguished record of jihad in the path of God, is a significant blow. There is no question about that. Yet, despite these losses, they have prevailed thus far,” he added.

The Iranian leader's speech comes amid escalating regional tensions, as Tehran's key proxy group faces an intensifying Israeli offensive. Since Monday, Israeli military operations in Lebanon have resulted in 569 fatalities and over 1,800 injuries, including the assassination of multiple top commanders over the weekend.

In another part of his remarks, Khamenei likened the operations of Lebanese and Palestinian forces against Israel to Iran’s own struggle during the eight-year war with Iraq. He reaffirmed the “religious and undeniable duty” to return Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to their rightful owners.

Khamenei further asserted, "The Palestinian and Lebanese resistance will ultimately prevail," accusing Israel of targeting civilians out of frustration with its inability to defeat its adversaries.

Since Hezbollah’s founding in 1982, Iran has remained its steadfast ally. Khamenei attributed the recent escalation in Lebanon to US involvement following Israeli strikes that destroyed communication equipment provided to Hezbollah.

Despite Washington’s claims of ignorance regarding Israel’s plans, Khamenei insisted, "The US is both aware and complicit," adding that President Biden’s administration "requires a victory for the Zionist regime" ahead of the upcoming November presidential election.