Excellency,

          Further to our correspondences, including the letters dated 4 December 2023, 2 January, and 30 January 2024 (S/2023/953, S/2024/9, S/2024/110), I am writing to respond to the letter dated 5 February 2024 (S/2024/135) from the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations. While categorically rejecting the baseless accusations outlined in the letter concerning Iran's armed forces, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the military operations carried out by the United States on Iraqi and Syrian territory on 2 February 2024. These unlawful operations deliberately targeted civilians and essential infrastructure, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and injuries. These illegal actions not only violate international law and the UN Charter, in particular Article 2 (4), but also endanger regional peace and stability and pose a serious threat to international peace and security. Furthermore, both the Republic of Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemn the US military actions that blatantly violated the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of these two countries. Therefore, the notification submitted by the United States to the Security Council under Article 51 of the UN Charter lacks legal justification and does not legitimize such actions.

          I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.