Iranian President Massoud Pezzekian said today that Iran is seeking peace but will not be forced to abandon its nuclear and missile programs, state media reported. US President Donald Trump said yesterday, Thursday, that Iran has repeatedly called for US sanctions against the country to be lifted.

“We are willing to hold talks based on international frameworks, but not if they say you can’t have (nuclear) science, or the right to defend yourself (with missiles), or we will bomb you,” Pezheskian said.

Iran has repeatedly rejected the possibility of negotiations over its defense capabilities, including its missile program and the idea of abandoning all uranium enrichment on its soil.

“We want to live in this world in peace and security, but not to be humiliated, and it is not acceptable for them to impose what they want on us and for us to simply serve them,” Pezzeskian said.

Israel sees Iran as an existential threat. But Iran says its ballistic missiles, which have a range of up to 2,000 kilometers, are an important deterrent and retaliation against the United States, Israel, and other potential regional targets. Iran denies that it is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.