By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged the United States and European nations to demonstrate sincerity if they wanted to rebuild trust with Iran, telling French President Emmanuel Macron in a Wednesday phone call that they must respect Iran’s rights and avoid raising excessive demands.

Iran has always welcomed dialogue and engagement, Pezeshkian reiterated, but said the burden of proof now lies with the West.

“It is not Iran that must prove its honesty and build confidence. Rather, it is the United States and Europe that must prove their sincerity and earn the trust of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The Iranian president pointed to the country’s consistent position on its nuclear work, rooted in the fatwa of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, and Iran’s defensive doctrine, which holds that Tehran never seeks nuclear weapons.

Despite this, he said, Iran continues to face baseless accusations and escalating sanctions under the false pretext of pursuing a nuclear arsenal.

Pezeshkian emphasized that problems can only be resolved through logic and dialogue, not through coercion or threats.

“Where misunderstandings can be addressed through reason, the use of force only deepens differences and divisions.”

For his part, Macron thanked Pezeshkian for the steps taken to implement past agreements and expressed his intention to work toward a new framework for negotiations between Iran and Western states.

He said continued dialogue was essential to build transparency and trust, to lift sanctions, and improve bilateral relations.

“It is essential that our interactions continue in the direction of creating transparency and building trust, so that we can reach an agreement and, alongside the lifting of sanctions, improve and expand mutual relations,” he said.

Before June’s US-"Israeli" airstrikes, Iran and the US held five talks to replace the 2015 nuclear deal, stalled over Iran’s missile program; tensions rose when Europe tried to restore UN sanctions, a move rejected by Iran, Russia, and China.