Iran condemns US veto on Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN Security Council

“Despite overwhelming global support for, and 14 UNSC members’ backing of Gaza ceasefire, the outgoing Democratic US administration vetoed the draft resolution, revealing its full contempt for innocent lives and regional peace and adding to its 13 months long complicity in Israel’s genocide,” Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post on his X account on Thursday.

“This disgraceful veto not only marks another failure of UNSC to uphold its Charter based mandate but also serves as a US-granted license for occupying regime to continue its carnage in Gaza and Lebanon with impunity,” he added.

“This is in stark violation of established IHL (international humanitarian law) principle ‘respect and ensure respect’ as well as the Genocide Convention and entails United States international responsibility for complicity in atrocity crimes,” Baqaei noted.

The US on Wednesday vetoed a resolution at the UNSC demanding an “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinian territory continues.

The US voted down the measure while the 14 other members of the council voted in favor.

While the resolution called for the release of captives held in Gaza, Washington had voiced opposition to its demand for an “unconditional” ceasefire.

This is the fourth time that US President Joe Biden’s administration has vetoed a resolution calling for an end to the war in Gaza since Israel’s military offensive began in October of last year.

To date, nearly 44,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, which has also plunged the coastal territory into a humanitarian crisis.