Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied allegations of a plot to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump, dismissing them as baseless claims designed to fuel anti-Iran sentiment. In an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt, Pezeshkian categorically stated that Iran has never planned to assassinate Trump and will not do so in the future.
“This is another one of those schemes that Israel and other countries are designing to promote Iranophobia,” Pezeshkian said. “Iran has never attempted to, nor does it plan to, assassinate anyone. At least as far as I know.”
When directly asked whether Iran plotted to kill Trump, Pezeshkian replied firmly, “None whatsoever.” He further pledged, “We have never attempted this to begin with, and we never will.”
The denial follows U.S. Justice Department charges in November against an Iranian man accused of conspiring to assassinate Trump and two other individuals during the 2024 presidential campaign. The alleged plot was reportedly an effort to avenge the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike ordered by Trump.
U.S. officials claim the plot was part of broader Iranian efforts to silence critics and exact retribution for Soleimani’s death. However, Pezeshkian dismissed these accusations as unfounded.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been high since Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, reimposing sanctions and introducing additional measures. The Biden administration attempted to revive the agreement through indirect talks, but negotiations failed to yield results.
Pezeshkian, who has portrayed himself as a moderate, expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue with the U.S. but emphasized Iran’s skepticism. “The problem we have is not in dialogue,” he said. “It’s in the commitments that arise from talk and dialogue that we’ll have to commit to.”
He accused the U.S. of failing to honor past agreements and seeking to topple the Iranian government. “No matter how much we engage in conversation and dialogue, they are trying to topple the government, not solve the problems,” Pezeshkian said.
Since the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal, Iran has advanced its uranium enrichment program, raising concerns among Western nations. U.S. officials allege Iran now has enough enriched uranium to build more than a dozen nuclear weapons if it chooses to do so.
Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran is not seeking war but would defend itself if attacked. “We do not fear war, but we do not seek it,” he said, adding that accusations of Iran pursuing nuclear weapons are false. “This is not true,” he asserted.
The interview also touched on Iran’s role in the Middle East. Pezeshkian denied that recent setbacks, such as Israeli military actions against Iranian proxies, had weakened Iran’s position. He described Iran as “more coherent” and “more robust” internally compared to last year.
Amid ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Pezeshkian said Iran supports regional peace initiatives. “We do whatever we can in order for peace to prevail in the region,” he stated.
Pezeshkian’s interview marks his first with foreign media since the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, offering a rare glimpse into Iran’s stance on critical international issues. As tensions persist, his remarks highlight the deep mistrust between Tehran and Washington, underscoring the challenges of resolving long-standing disputes.
