In the name of God, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful

No. 2134402                                                                                                                    23 July 2024

Excellency,

I am writing to you regarding the UN Security Council's open briefing on 22 July 2024, under the agenda item "Threats to international peace and security" (S/PV.9691). During this meeting, representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, and France once again misused the Security Council platform to levy baseless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. At this meeting, the representative of the Israeli occupying regime, whose leaders and officials have their hands drenched in the blood of innocent Palestinian people, disseminated intentional falsehoods and disinformation against my country.

The Islamic Republic of Iran unequivocally condemns and categorically rejects all the unfounded allegations made against itself at the aforementioned meeting. Iran also strongly rejects repeated and baseless allegations made by the representative of the United States at the Council's open briefing on the situation in Yemen held today, on 23 July 2024, under the agenda item "The situation in the Middle East” (S/PV.9692).

The purpose of such accusations is nothing more than a cynical attempt to divert international attention away from the root causes of the current situation in the region and to shield Israel, allowing it to continue and justify its atrocities and malevolent activities. Despite such a desperate attempt, the majority of the Security Council members rightly highlighted the root cause of the current situation in the region: Israel's ongoing atrocities and barbaric massacres against the innocent people of Gaza and calling for an immediate end to the genocidal war against the people of Gaza. Yet, it is shameful and disappointing that the three permanent members, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France have chosen to remain silent in the face of Israel's acts of aggression and attacks on critical infrastructure and civilians in Yemen, especially when the representative of this rogue and lawless regime has blatantly announced that the Hodeida port is considered a military target, despite the Under-Secretary-General and Council members describing the Hodeida port as a lifeline for millions of people in Yemen.

The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attacks and acts of aggression launched by the Israeli regime on 20 July 2024 at Hodeida port in Yemen targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. Such illegal actions, which constitute egregious violations of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen, the United Nations Charter and international law, particularly international humanitarian law, cannot be justified under the pretext of self-defense or Article 51 of the UN Charter. The Security Council must condemn unequivocally Israel for this heinous crime.

I would like to take this opportunity to categorically reject the substantiated allegations leveled against my Country in the letter dated 19 July 2024 from the representatives of Israel addressed to the President of the Security Council.

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

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

H.E. Mr. Vassily Nebenzia

President of the Security Council

United Nations, New York

CC:

H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres

Secretary-General

United Nations, New York

H.E. Mr. Joonkook Hwang 

Chairperson of the Security Council Committee

established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014)