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Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country's people had been the "victims of terrorism" by the United States during a speech at the UN General Assembly.

During his speech at the meeting of world leaders in New York, Pezeshkian displayed images of the late Supreme leader Ali Khamenei and the more than 100 schoolchildren killed in the opening days of the conflict. 

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said. “Our innocent people have been the targets of cowardly attacks and aggressions imposed upon our country.”

As the Iranian president began his speech, an official from the US delegation walked out of the assembly hall. Israel's delegation also boycotted the speech. 

US President Donald Trump made a speech in the same hall a day before Pezeshkian's speech, where he said he faces a "big decision" on whether to strike Iran again or push for peace negotiations. Trump also said he could "annihilate" Iran if the conflict continued. 

"They hit us, but we did not bow our heads or bend the knee,” Pezeshkian responded. "[Trump] must know that the resistance of the Iranian people will only grow in the face of sanctions and increased pressure and bullying."

Nevertheless, Iran's president left the door open for negotiations, saying "Iran extends its hand towards the world."

“We invite the world and call to it, not out of weakness, but out of a deep belief in our own power and steadfastness to cooperate and collaborate out of a deep understanding that no one in this region will have security alone,” he said.

Iran threatens to expand war to 'Indian Ocean and beyond'

Iran may expand the war to the Indian Ocean if the US or Israel attacks, an advisor to Supreme Leader Motjaba Khamenei warned on Thursday (September 24). 

Major-General Yahya Rahim Safavi issued the threat in a video released by Iran’s Fars news agency.

“Since the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, it is possible that – in response to more war – the front will expand even further, reaching the Indian Ocean and perhaps beyond,” Safavi said.

He went on to claim that Iran's military is prepared for the worst-case scenario if US-Israeli attacks start up again and praised Yemen's Houthis for taking over the Red Sea coastline.

“For more than 100 years, Yemenis have stood up to any invading force that sought to encroach on their territorial integrity in any way,” he said.

“I must state here that if the Americans start a new war, a new front centred on the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait may open up before their very eyes.”