Addressing a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, Amir Saeid Iravani said the unwavering support by the United States has emboldened the Israeli regime to continue its crimes.
The Security Council convened at Iran’s request to address the attacks against the military targets in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam Provinces.
Iravani said the Israeli military strikes on Iran’s military sites was an “egregious and severe violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” echoing remarks by Iranian officials that the Islamic Republic reserves its inherent right to respond.
“As a sovereign state, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its inherent right to respond at a time of its choosing to this act of aggression, a right clearly affirmed under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” he said.
Warning that the international community must not remain silent in the face of Israel’s violations, he stressed that the regime’s impunity has led to a vicious cycle of violence and instability across the region.
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya also addressed the meeting, saying, “We ask Israel to refrain from further provocative military actions, because there will be repercussions for it.”
He praised Iran for showing ‘unprecedented restraint,’ but at the same time hit out at the US, saying Washington not only did not try to dissuade Israel but also gave the green light for the strikes.
Japan’s envoy Yamazaki Kazuyuki called on the parties involved in the conflict to practice restraint.
UK permanent representative to the UN, Barbara Woodward, asked Iran not to retaliate the Israeli aggression, warning “an escalation is not in anyone’s interest.”
