US, Israel war crimes backfired at their polls: Iranian President Pezeshkian

Pezeshkian left Tehran for Turkiye on Wednesday to attend the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), describing the summit as an important opportunity to discuss regional issues and the environmental damage caused by aggressors.

Speaking before his departure, the Iranian leader noted that 196 nations are participating in the summit, with 71 delegations headed by presidents or prime ministers, according to information released by Mehr News Agency. He indicated that he would utilise the event to address the ecological devastation inflicted upon Tehran and neighbouring territories by Washington and Tel Aviv.

Pezeshkian stated that bilateral talks with representatives from upwards of 10 countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had been scheduled on the sidelines.

Addressing diplomatic ties with Ankara, he characterised bilateral relations as being in an exceptionally positive state, emphasising that shared economic, social, cultural and regional interests serve to reinforce mutual cooperation and stability.

Furthermore, the president maintained that during his scheduled meetings, he would discuss the crimes perpetrated by the United States and Israel throughout the region, arguing that recent electoral verdicts reflect widespread public rejection of warmongering figures. He added that political outcomes observed across Western states and Palestine contradict the stated values of administrations professing a commitment to democratic principles and human rights.

He expressed optimism that the official mission would effectively communicate the aspirations of the Iranian public while generating positive outcomes, as highlighted in dispatches from Mehr News Agency.

Against this backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has relocated from his residence to a military base following threats to his safety allegedly connected to Iran, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing individuals familiar with the situation.

The precise nature and severity of the threats against the Cabinet official remain unclear. Nevertheless, the reported relocation comes amid mounting anxieties within the administration regarding potential Iranian plots targeting American citizens and personnel.

Despite escalating concerns, US officials have assessed that Tehran's capability to orchestrate large-scale attacks domestically or internationally remains constrained, the publication noted. Tehran has consistently rejected accusations of plotting attacks against US individuals on American territory.

Bessent has emerged as a pivotal architect of Washington's economic campaign targeting Tehran, leveraging financial restrictions and punitive measures to squeeze Iranian oil revenues, financial networks and capital channels.

The Treasury Department has been at the centre of the administration's strategy to intensify financial pressure, particularly during the US-Israeli war that began on February 28. American authorities have actively worked to cripple Tehran's capacity to generate revenue and finance its military operations, imposing sanctions on designated individuals, corporate entities, maritime networks and oil trade participants.

This financial squeeze has operated alongside the broader military offensive, which has involved American and Israeli armed forces conducting airstrikes on strategic locations and Iranian military installations. These attacks have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across the broader region.

Furthermore, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of multiple high-ranking Iranian figures, notably former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Concurrently, Israeli military campaigns inside Lebanon have intensified the human cost across the territory.

As the ongoing war deepens hostilities between the two capitals, concerns over potential reprisals targeting American officials remain a paramount security preoccupation. (ANI)