Iran doesn't 'seek nuclear weapons’, says President Pezeshkian as Iran receives advanced Russian fighter jets

During a speech to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the Israeli strikes on his country which led to the 12-Day Israel-Iran War, while also slamming the European nations of Germany, Britain, and France for triggering snapback sanctions against his country. 

“Three European states – having failed through a decade of bad faith and thereafter by supporting military aggression to bring the proud people of Iran to their knees – at the behest of the United States of America sought by means of pressure, coercion, imposition and manifest abuse to reinstate against the Iran Security Council resolutions that had already been terminated,” Pezeshkian stated during his comments to the world body. 

While declaring that the E3 nations “circumvented legal obligations,” Pezeshkian also denied his country is interested in a nuclear weapon. 

“I hereby declare once more that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” the Iranian president declared. “We do not seek nuclear weapons.” 

Pezeshkian’s comments about nuclear weapons come one day after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ruled out further negotiations with the United States, while saying the Islamic Republic would return to enriching uranium. 

“In the current situation, negotiating with the US government would, first and foremost, do nothing to help our national interests – it would bring us no benefit and would not avert any harm,” Khamenei said, according to a report in Iran International. 

"Negotiations with the US under present conditions also entail serious harms for the country, some of which may even be irreparable,” Khamenei continued, saying, "When we say it is not to our benefit, it is because the American side has already predetermined the outcome of negotiations. They have declared that the only talks they accept are those that end with Iran shutting down its nuclear activities and enrichment.” 

“We have not and will not give in to pressure in enrichment or in any other matter,” the leader stated. 

Meanwhile, Abolfazl Zohrevand, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, told Iranian media that the country had already received delivery of Russian MiG-29 fighter jets as part of a plan to shore up the Iranian air force’s depleted ranks of fighter jets. 

“Russian MiG-29 fighter jets have arrived in Iran and are stationed in Shiraz, while Sukhoi Su-35 jets are also on the way,” Zohrevand claimed. 

NEW: Iran has begun reconstructing several ballistic missile facilities as part of a broader effort to rebuild its degraded ballistic missile program after the Israel-Iran War.

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An Iranian parliamentarian claimed on September 23 that Russia delivered MiG-29… pic.twitter.com/R4VkDSTQGw

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) September 25, 2025

Both fighter jets are considered to be fourth generation fighter jets, which were developed in response to American fighter jets like the F-15 and F-16. 

Zohrevand claimed the delivery of the MiG-29 fighter jets is an interim measure while the country waits for the arrival of the newer, more advanced Su-35s, which were a further development of the earlier Su-27 aircraft. 

As opposed to the older MiG-29 fighter jets, the Su-35 has independent thrust vectoring nozzles on its twin turbofan engines and integrated flight-and propulsion-control systems, which allow the jets a high level of maneuverability. 

At the beginning of the year, Iran announced the acquisition of two Sukhoi Su-35SE fighter jets as part of a purchasing deal to acquire more of the planes in an attempt to modernize its aging air force. At the time, it was announced that Iran would be purchasing 50 Su-35s from Russia. However, the delivery of the aircraft has been delayed due to the war in Ukraine. 

Zohrevand also claimed that Iran would be bolstering its air defense systems with the purchase of Chinese HQ-9 and Russian S-400 air defense systems. The Chinese HQ-9 air defense system is a variant of the Russian S-300 system, of which Israel destroyed several during the October 2024 strikes and during the initial days of Operation Rising Lion. 

“Once these systems are fully in place, our enemies will understand the language of power,” Zohrevand was quoted as telling Iranian media. 

While Israel would likely maintain air superiority due to its advanced F-16, F-15, and F-35 fighter jets, the Su-35 would represent a dramatic improvement in the Iranian air force’s capabilities, with drastically improved radar, avionics, and maneuvering capabilities. 

If true, the acquisition of these jets could be seen as an attempt to upset the balance of power in the region and could indicate an interest by China and Russia in countering U.S. influence in the region in a more forceful manner. 

So far, neither Moscow nor Beijing has confirmed the purchases or deliveries.