Pezeshkian made the remarks on Saturday at the inauguration ceremony of communication and information technology projects, coinciding with World Communications Day.

“We seek peace, not conflict, but we will not submit to force and bullying either,” he said in reaction to some Western media reports that Iran is prepared to relinquish its scientific and research accomplishments as it engages in indirect talks with the United States.

The president stressed that the Islamic Republic will never succumb to threats and “will not give up on any scientific achievements across all sectors.”

Saying that the world is changing, he emphasized the need to “move towards excellence using the know-how of experts and scholars.”

Pezeshkian also called for unity and avoidance of division to defeat “unilateralism and totalitarianism of the United States,” adding that if Iranian elites show devotion and strive for the country's honor and pride, all problems and crises will be solved.

The president said that every knowledge-based company must adhere to the necessary standards to be able to work properly. “We need transparent and up-to-date data for management, policy-making, and monitoring, in order to reduce costs and increase the quality of work,” he added.