Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied Friday that Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons, condemned U.S. sanctions, and called for expanded cooperation with Georgia during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in Yerevan, Armenia.

Speaking on the sidelines of a United Nations biodiversity summit, Pezeshkian dismissed accusations that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons as “malicious propaganda” and lies, according to a statement from his office.

“Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, and we consider the malicious propaganda against our country to be lies,” Pezeshkian said.

He also insisted that Iran remains open to negotiations but will not give in to economic pressure from Washington.

“We have always been ready for dialogue. They think they can force us to surrender, but we will not bow to coercion,” Pezeshkian said, describing U.S. sanctions against Tehran as “unjustifiable and inhumane.”

Pezeshkian urged the two countries to establish a clear timetable for expanding cooperation between Tehran and Tbilisi, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. The meeting came weeks after Georgia cut aviation links with Iran in response to U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian airlines.

Tasnim reported that Kobakhidze opposed foreign interference in the internal affairs of neighboring countries. However, the Georgian prime minister’s office did not include that remark in its own account of the meeting.

Instead, the office said the leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional security, with Kobakhidze emphasizing the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve de-escalation and lasting peace.

Georgia’s Civil Aviation Agency said in September that the country would comply with the U.S. sanctions regime. Kobakhidze has maintained that Tbilisi was not imposing its own bilateral sanctions on Tehran, even as the restrictions affect aviation ties between the two countries.