Statement ByH.E. Mr. Amir Saied Iravani Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran Before the United Nations Security Council On “the situation in the Middle East” New York, 2 October 2024   بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم   We congratulate you, Madam President, for assuming the presidency of the Security Council this month and thank you for convening this emergency meeting to address the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon and the critical situation in the region. We acknowledge Slavonia for its successful conclusion of the presidency in September. Madam. President, Distinguished delegates, For a year now, the apartheid and occupying regime of Israel has continued its brutality in occupied Palestine with full impunity. And now, this regime is extending its brutal aggressive war to Lebanon and targeting innocent people day and night across the border and deep inside the territory. The regime is pushing the region to the edge of an all-out unprecedented catastrophe. Israel has no intention of pursuing peace or a ceasefire. Regrettably, the UN Security Council has remained paralyzed due to the United States' obstruction of any effective decision by this body. Unwavering support provided by the United States, United Kingdom, and certain Western states to Israel has given a cart blanch to this aggressive terrorist regime for all sorts of sinister behavior. Now more than ever, this regime has become a serious threat to international peace and security. The only way to prevent further escalation is clear: Israel must immediately cease its war on Gaza, and its attacks on Lebanon must stop. Madam. President, Distinguished delegates, As we informed the members of the Council in our letter yesterday, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran launched a series of missile strikes targeting the military and security positions of the Israeli regime. Iran’s action was in full accordance with its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and a direct response to the regime’s repeated acts of aggression against Iran including the violation of Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity during the past months. Our invocation of the right to self-defense, followed by an extended period of restraint, reflects Iran's responsible approach to regional and international peace and security at a time when the illegal actions and genocide carried out by this occupying apartheid regime against the Palestinian people, as well as its repeated military aggressions against Lebanon and Syria, continue. Iran’s missile strikes were a necessary and proportionate response to Israel’s continued terrorist aggressive acts over the past two months. This includes the violation of Iran’s sovereignty, the assassination of the political leader of Hamas in Tehran and Iranian citizens, the targeting and wounding of Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, and the recent assassination of Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the resistance and the Secretary -General of Hezbollah and General Abbas Nilforushan, an Iranian military advisory in Beirut. I wish to mention the key facts that clearly demonstrate Iran's action under self-defense is fully justified, lawful, and firmly grounded in international legal principles. On 1 April 2024, Israel brazenly attacked Iran’s diplomatic mission in Damascus, Syria, in blatant violation of international law, specifically the principle of inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises. Iran immediately sought the Council’s condemnation. What was this body's response? Nothing! Rather than condemning Israel’s act of aggression, the Council merely called for Iran’s restraint and even refrained from issuing a press statement proposed by Russia. After 10 days of silence from the Security Council, Iran has no choice but to use its inherent right under international law to respond to this severe violation. On 31 July 2024, Israel committed yet another act of aggression by assassinating Mr. Esmail Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader and the former Prime Minister of Palestine, while he was an official guest of the Iranian government in Tehran. This was a flagrant breach of Iran’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Despite Iran's calls for action, the Council again failed to act. Meanwhile, several states, including the United States, urged Iran to maintain restraint, citing ongoing ceasefire negotiations. We respected these calls for diplomacy, yet no ceasefire materialized, and Israel only grew bolder. Again, we witnessed another heinous crime by Israel, this time through the detonation of communication devices, targeting the innocent people of Lebanon. A large number of innocent civilians were killed and injured, including Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon. This was yet another manifestation of state terrorism. Following, Israel carried out a blatant act of terrorist aggression, using U.S.-supplied thousand-pound bunker busters to assassinate Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah and a symbol of resistance against Israeli occupation and aggression in Lebanon. This brutal attack resulted in the martyrdom of numerous innocent people, including Hezbollah’s leader and Iranian General Abbas Nilforushan, while also leaving many civilians wounded. This egregious act underscores once more the regime’s continued reliance on violence and terror. Madam President, The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently pursued peace and stability for the region and called for an immediate ceasefire and the cessation of civilian casualties, a position we have maintained for over a year. Yet, experience has proven that Israel only understands the language of force. Diplomacy has repeatedly failed, as Israel views restraint not as a gesture of goodwill but as a weakness to exploit. Each act of restraint taken by Iran has only emboldened Israel to commit even greater crimes and more acts of aggression. Consequently, Iran’s response was necessary to restore balance and deterrence. Israel must understand that each act of aggression it makes is not unpunished and will be met with consequences. This is the cost this regime must bear. Contrary to the regime, which consistently considers innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure as legitimate targets for aggression and massacre, Iran’s response has only targeted the regime's military and security installations with its defensive missile strikes. Because the Islamic Republic of Iran is grounded in ethical principles and the noble teachings of Islam, and fully compliance with the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law. Madam. President, Distinguished delegates, The international community cannot afford to remain silent. We reiterate our call on this Council to respond with urgency and determination. The Security Council must intervene to stop Israel’s continued aggression and war crimes against Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria and to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-scale regional war. Furthermore, the Security Council must force Israel to comply with its obligations under resolutions this body adopted. Israel must fully implement resolution 1701 (2006). Finally, Madam President, we strongly warn against any further acts of aggression by the Israeli terrorist regime against our national security and vital interests. Iran is fully prepared to take further defensive measures, if necessary, to protect its legitimate interests and defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty against any acts of military aggression and the illegal use of force. In this regard, Iran will have no hesitation. In conclusion, the regime of the United States and the United Kingdom’s regime, notorious enablers of the Israeli regime, along with France, have once again cynically attempted to justify Israel's heinous crimes under the guise of self-defense, shifting the blame onto Iran. While the Israeli regime must be held accountable for the atrocity crimes one cannot disregard the US's complicity in Israeli crimes. Israel’s warmongering relies on U.S regime. military support and political backing. American weapons constitute a major part of Israeli weaponry and ammunition used in Gaza, and therefore the United States is implicated in every aspect of Israel’s atrocity. The vast majority of bombs Israel drops on Gaza and Lebanon are U.S.-made. The U.S. regime even provides Israel with jet fuel. The U.S. has sent so many arms to Israel since October 7 that the Pentagon has struggled to find sufficient cargo aircraft to deliver the matériel. If there were even a shred of honesty in their concern for the loss of innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza or Lebanon, or for the spread of war across the region, they could easily strip Israel of the tools it uses to commit these atrocities. Yet, their actions reveal their true intent: to embolden Israel’s criminal actions. Thank you.