Operation Al-Aqsa Storm ‘solely’ Palestinian decision: Iran ambassador

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations has categorically rejected groundless accusations about the Islamic Republic’s involvement in retaliatory Palestinian strikes on the occupied territories.

Amir Saeid Iravani, in a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, dismissed the allegations, reiterated recently by the Israeli regime’s envoy, saying the Palestinian operation was a purely Palestinian decision.

It came days after The Wall Street Journal claimed Iranian security officials helped plan Palestinian resistance movement Hamas’s surprise attack against the Israeli regime and gave the greenlight for the operation.

Top Iranian officials, including Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raeisi, have already dismissed the claim while reiterating the Islamic Republic’s support for Palestinian resistance.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically and explicitly rejects any unfounded claim about its involvement in Palestine's response to Israeli occupation and aggression,” Iravani told Guterres in the letter.

“The recent decisions and measures taken by Palestine’s resistance groups are solely determined by the Palestinians themselves and are firmly rooted in the fundamental principle of self-determination,” he added.

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Stressing that Palestinian people have endured 75 years of relentless aggression, violence, racial discrimination and apartheid policies imposed by the Israeli regime, Iravani said the occupation of their lands continues with the siege of their cities, the destruction and confiscation of their property and agricultural lands, and the forced displacement of residents from their homes by the Israeli regime.

Denouncing Israel’s ongoing crimes against Palestinians as a clear violation of the norms of international law, Iran’s UN envoy said, “It is regrettable that the international community's response to these severe violations has fallen short in holding those responsible accountable.”

Iravani underlined that, “The absence of accountability and the deafening silence of the United Nations Security Council have reduced long-standing UN resolutions to mere words.”

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN further warned against the continuation of Israeli crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and called on the international community to step forward and stop the violence.

“Now, the world is witnessing yet another horrific uptick in atrocities and collective punishment against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip that qualify as crimes against humanity and war crimes, orchestrated by the Israeli regime,” he said.

“Failure of the international community to intervene promptly could lead to a full-fledged humanitarian crisis with far-reaching consequences,” he added.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran urges the international community, United Nations member states, and, in particular, the Security Council to shoulder their responsibilities and take decisive action, compelling the Israeli regime to put an end to its occupation, atrocities, and aggressive actions, and to steadfastly comply with its international obligations, including those under international humanitarian law and human rights law,” Iravani added.

Israel started its aggression on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups launched multi-pronged Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, the largest military operation against the illegal entity in decades.

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