Iran warns of response to US-Israel strikes, accuses Israel of sabotaging diplomacy at UN session

NEW YORK: Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, on Sunday accused Israel of sabotaging diplomatic efforts and warned that the Iranian military would determine the “timing, nature, and scale” of its response to recent attacks by the United States and Israel.

His remarks came during an emergency special session of the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York on Sunday (local time), convened under the agenda item “Threats to international peace and security.”

“Even though Iran reserves its full and legitimate right under international law to defend itself against this blatant US aggression and its Israeli proxy, the timing, nature, and scale of Iran’s proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces,” Iravani said.

He condemned the US and Israeli strikes on June 21 and June 13, respectively, as violations of international law, asserting that they resulted from “illegal and politically motivated actions” by the United States, the UK, France, and their European allies.

The ambassador also strongly criticised Israel for undermining diplomatic avenues.

“Israel decided to destroy diplomacy,” and noted that the “so-called offer of diplomacy was nothing more than a deceitful policy to mislead the international community,” he said.

He highlighted the irony of Western calls for Iran to return to negotiations, noting Iran’s Foreign Minister’s stance that Tehran never left the table and held the US, UK, France, and Israel accountable for civilian deaths and infrastructure damage in Iran.

“They are a direct result of the illegal and politically motivated actions of the United States and its European partners… The United States, the UK, and France, three permanent members of this council, along with the Israeli regime… will bear full responsibility for the death of innocent civilians in Iran, especially women and children, and for the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure,” Iravani said.

“The week that our foreign minister held talks with the E3, Europeans and the European Union, the United States decided to destroy the diplomacy. What conclusion can be drawn from this situation? … From the perspective of Western countries, Iran must return to the negotiation table, but as Iran’s foreign minister mentioned, how can Iran return to something it never left?” he added.

Iravani urged the Security Council to act decisively, warning, “If this council and the United Nations, built to maintain international peace and security, fail to act at this decisive moment, they will forever lose their credibility and relevance.”

The remarks come amid the escalating conflict in the region following the US-led Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted three key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. (ANI)