Pezeshkian wants US to return to Islamabad MoU before midterms

Published: 08:49 AM, 25 Sep, 2026
Featured News, Middle East
Pezeshkian wants US to return to Islamabad MoU before midterms
Caption: Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian holding Islamabad MoU after signing it in last June.

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran wanted the US to return to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries in June last before the November midterm elections.

Dr Pezeshkian told NBC News and other media organisations in New York gathered for the UN General Assembly late on Thursday: “We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms”... “We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections.”

Pezeshkian suggested his government was willing to make a deal with the US to end the war before Americans head to the polls this November. “We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections,” Pezeshkian said.

“We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms,” Pezeshkian added, referring to a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran that laid out plans for a temporary ceasefire. The agreement, signed in June, eventually collapsed.

In response to NBC News’ request for comment, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks against its neighbours in the region.”

“The President is courageously ensuring that such an evil country never possesses a nuclear weapon, which will make the entire world safer and more stable,” Kelly added.

Pezeshkian’s comments came two days after President Donald Trump said in a speech to world leaders at the UN that he believed the Iranian regime would not make a deal to settle the conflict until after the fall electons. “I believe we’ll make a deal right after the elections because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” Trump said. “They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm elections.”

In the exchange with news organizations, Pezeshkian said he has met with the Islamic Republic’s new leader twice — including a month ago, for seven hours.

Pezeshkian said he did not see “any issues with his health or physical appearance” in their meetings, adding they sat on the floor on traditional pillows.

Iran’s president briefly addressed other pressing issues affecting the relationship between Tehran and Washington. He said his government was “open” to inspections of its nuclear facilities, which the regime has long maintained are for civilian purposes, and he insisted the regime was not seeking to assassinate the American president.

“This has not been the position of the Iranian government that we seek to assassinate President Trump or his family members,” Pezeshkian said.

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