He stated that Iran exercised its legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
President Pezeshkian said the attacks, carried out during nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US, violated international law, particularly Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, and were supported by US military forces.
The 12-day assault targeted civilians, academics, off-duty military personnel, nuclear facilities under IAEA supervision, and key infrastructure, causing extensive damage and fatalities.
He commended regional nations, especially ECO members, for their “responsible stances” during the crisis and urged global condemnation of the aggression.
Addressing the ECO’s broader mission, President Pezeshkian emphasized the need to strengthen intra-regional trade and logistics.
He criticized the current 8% regional trade rate as “unacceptable” and called for realization of free trade goals outlined in ECO’s Vision 2025 and 2035.
He also highlighted Iran’s willingness to host the next ECO summit and proposed better transit access for landlocked member states, alongside development of international-standard logistics hubs and digital transformation across the region.
