Iran's president denies Trump assassination plot as US-Iran tensions simmer at UN

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly denied that his nation harbors any intentions to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump. In a January 2025 interview, Pezeshkian dismissed accusations of such plots, asserting that Iran would never pursue such actions and characterizing the allegations as part of an "Iranophobia campaign". These statements came amidst ongoing U.S. concerns and past threats from various Iranian officials regarding retribution for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, an event ordered by Trump. Iran has consistently maintained that it would instead seek legal avenues to hold Trump accountable for Soleimani's death.

Concurrently, U.S. senators have acted to prevent efforts aimed at halting potential military conflict with Iran, amid sustained high tensions. Most recently, on September 24, 2026, the Senate blocked a Democratic-led resolution that sought to end the U.S. war with Iran, with the measure failing in a 49-50 vote. This particular vote followed earlier rejections by the Senate of similar war powers resolutions in March 2026, which aimed to curb the president's ability to conduct military strikes against Iran without congressional approval. The ongoing conflict has reportedly passed the 200-day mark, resulting in the deaths of 19 American service members.