Iran urges UN to condemn Israel’s “unlawful” airstrikes, citing right to respond
Shafaq News/ Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the United Nations and its 15-member Security Council to formally denounce Israel's recent airstrikes on Iranian territory, warning that his country reserves the right to respond "legally and legitimately" at a time it deems appropriate.
The appeal follows a series of airstrikes launched by Israel on Saturday targeting sites across Iran’s Khuzestan, Ilam, and Tehran provinces. According to Iranian officials, while Iran’s air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles, four military officers were killed in the attacks.
Araghchi conveyed Iran’s concerns in identical letters addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Security Council President Pascal Christian.
Urging a "decisive stance," Araghchi’s letter stated, “I am writing to bring to your attention and the members of the Security Council the Zionist regime’s unlawful and aggressive actions, which constitute a serious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister condemned the attacks, characterizing them as violations of international law and specifically Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against any state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns these deliberate acts of aggression by the Zionist regime in the strongest terms. Israel’s unlawful attacks violate the foundational principles of international law and the United Nations Charter... Israeli regime's actions constitute a grave threat to international peace and security and further destabilize an already fragile region,” Araghchi wrote.
Reaffirming Iran’s "inherent right to legal and legitimate response," Araghchi urged the UN to “take a firm stance and condemn the Israeli regime for committing these acts of aggression strongly and unequivocally, demonstrating to the international community that such egregious violations of international law and the UN Charter will not go unanswered.” Iran also requested an urgent Security Council meeting to address the escalating tensions.
In a separate statement, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN said that the United States was complicit in the strikes.
The mission posted on its X account, "The Zionist regime’s warplanes attacked several Iranian military and radar sites from Iraqi airspace, approximately 70 miles from Iran’s border," adding that “Iraqi airspace is under the occupation, command, and control of the US military.” The statement concluded, "Conclusion: the US complicity in this crime is certain."
