‘Iran Has Exercised Maximum Restraint’: UN Envoy
Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Sunday, Amir Saeid Iravani slammed the hypocrisy of Western powers and urged the Council to “shoulder its responsibility” to international peace by taking action against the Israeli regime.
“Iran's operation was entirely in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense,” he said, adding, “This concluded action was necessary and proportionate.”
“It was precise and only targeted military objectives, and carried out carefully to minimize the potential for escalation and prevent civilian harm,” stressed the envoy.
On April 1, the Israeli regime committed a terrorist attack against Iran’s diplomatic premises in the Syrian capital Damascus.
The Israeli attack resulted in the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, and five of their accompanying officers.
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Retaliating against the attack, the IRGC targeted the occupied territories late on Saturday with a barrage of drones and missiles. The retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation True Promise, has inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories, but the extent of which is yet to be specified.
Following the reprisal, Iran both relayed the message that it viewed the matter as “concluded,” and also warned the US against trying to involve itself in the conflict.
West’s hypocrisy
“Regrettably, in this Chamber, certain members of the Council, including the US, the UK, and France have chosen once again to turn a blind eye to reality and overlook the root causes contributing to the current situation,” Iravani said.
“In hypocritical behavior, these three countries falsely blamed and accused Iran without considering their own failures to uphold their international commitments to peace and security in the region,” he added.
He noted that these countries and the United States have “shielded Israel from any responsibility for the Gaza massacre” for the past six months.
“While they have denied Iran’s inherent right to self-defense against the Israeli armed attacks on our diplomatic premises, at the same time, they shamefully justified the Israeli massacre and genocide against the defenseless Palestinian people under the pretext of self-defense,” the ambassador said.
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“Regrettably, the Security Council has failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security,” he stressed adding that Russia proposed a press statement to denounce this atrocious act, which was backed by China, Algeria, and many members, but was blocked by the US, UK, and France.
“Faced with such circumstances, the Islamic Republic of Iran had no choice but to exercise its inherent right to self-defense under international law,” he said.
Root cause of regional problems ‘clear to all’
“The root causes of the current situation are clear to all,” he said.
“From the start of the Israeli war against Palestinian people in Gaza, more than 34 thousand civilians, two-thirds of them children and women have been killed,” he added.
“All civilian infrastructures have been targeted and destroyed by Israel; even humanitarian workers have not been immune from the military attacks of this rough regime. The absence of accountability and the Council’s inaction face with the Israeli genocide and war crimes against the Palestinian people has only emboldened this regime to continue its violations unchecked.”
“This terrorist regime is responsible for all criminal and terrorist acts committed against Iran and must bear the consequences,” he stressed.
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“Iran has exercised maximum restraint. Now, it is time for the occupying regime to bear full responsibility for its consequences. This regime cannot evade accountability.”
Israel's ongoing destabilized and irresponsible actions and atrocities against the nations in the region are a real threat to regional and international peace and security, the ambassador added.
Urging the Council to take action
The ambassador urged the Security Council to “shoulder its responsibility and address the real threat to international peace and security.”
“The Security Council must promptly fulfill its duty under Chapter 7 of the Charter in response to Israel's reckless defiance,” he added.
“It must take urgent and punitive measures to compel this regime to stop its genocide and massacre against the people of Gaza and uphold its obligations especially fully implement the UNSC resolutions and legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice,” he said.
Iran ‘will not hesitate’ to respond to threats
“While warning about any further military provocations by the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its unwavering determination to defend its people, national security and interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity against any threat or acts of aggression and to respond to any such threat or aggression vigorously and in accordance with international law,” he said.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to exercise this right when required, he stressed.
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Iran has no intention of engaging in conflict with the US in the region, he said. “We demonstrated our commitment to peace by exercising our restraint about involving the US Army in intercepting Iranian drones and missiles bound for military targets in the occupied Palestinian territories. This underscores our dedication to de-escalating tensions and avoiding the expansion of conflict.”
“However, if the US initiates military operations against Iran, its citizens, or its security and interests, Iran will use its inherent right to respond proportionately.”
Source: Agencies
