New york: Iran condemned the UN Security Council on Tuesday for what it called its persistent failure to respond to 'blatant acts of aggression' against the sovereignty of independent states. The UN Security Council 'has either been unable or unwilling to respond appropriately and resolutely to blatant acts of aggression against the national sovereignty of certain states,' Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in a speech to the council.
According to Anadolu Agency, Gharibabadi highlighted several instances, including 'military occupations, genocide, economic blockades, and the sponsorship of state terrorism,' as examples of the council's inaction. He pointed to a recent conflict beginning on June 13, when Israel launched a 12-day offensive on Iran. The offensive targeted military, nuclear, and civilian sites, along with senior military commanders and leading scientists.
In retaliation, Tehran launched missile and drone strikes on Israeli military and intelligence facilities. The situation escalated as the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites before announcing a ceasefire on June 24. Gharibabadi reported that the Israeli assault resulted in 1,100 deaths, including 132 women, 45 children, and 26 medical personnel.
While emphasizing that Iran did not seek war, Gharibabadi asserted, 'We shall defend our people and homeland with the ferocity of a lion. The aggressors must know that their conspiracies shall fail, and it is Iran that shall endure.' He reiterated Iran's stance on its nuclear program, emphasizing that it 'has always been exclusively peaceful in nature' and remains under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Gharibabadi also underscored Iran's historical restraint, stating that Tehran 'has not, over the course of recent centuries, initiated armed aggression against any state,' and stressed the importance of achieving peace 'not through bombs and coercion,' but 'through respect for rights, justice, and diplomacy.' He called on the international community to reject 'the normalization of aggression' and stand against 'the erosion of lawful order in favor of brute force.'