'Stop any further Israeli adventurism,' Iran FM tells Security Council

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has called on the UN Security Council to force Israel to stop any further military action against Iran or face the Islamic Republic's "decisive" response to any aggression.   

"I emphasize again: Iran's legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our centers, assets and interests," he told the council in New York on Thursday.

"In case of any illegal use of force by the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response to it to make the regime regret its actions. This is an unchangeable decision," he added.

Amir-Abdollahian said the Israeli attack on April 1 on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus showed yet again that the regime does not hesitate to violate the fundamental principle of the immunity of such places and people as well as the Vienna Conventions. 

"As the majority of the members of the Security Council declared at the April 2 meeting here, the attack was a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and thus is strongly condemned," he said. 

Officials have said the "imperative for Iran" to retaliate for the attack on its embassy compound in Damascus might have been avoided had the UN Security Council condemned the strike at its April 2 meeting. 

At the meeting, the Iranian minister said, the council failed even to issue a mere statement containing a simple condemnation "due to the unfortunate and completely irresponsible behavior of the United States, the UK and France in response to this illegal attack".

"No member state will remain silent in the face of such a brazen and serious military attack on its embassy, which is considered a symbol of its sovereignty as well as the killing of its legal, official and diplomat agents," he said.

Iran, Amir-Abdollahian said, had until recently "shown considerable restraint against other terrorist missile attacks bearing in mind the dire situation in the region and willing to give the role of the United Nations a chance to prevent the escalation of the conflict".  

But it "was faced with the continuation of the White House's green light granted to the Israeli regime as well as the continued inaction of the Security Council in preventing these attacks".

"Therefore it could no longer be patient against the attack on its embassy and the attack on its sovereignty," he added.

Iran's military attack on April 13, he said, "was first and foremost, necessary because Iran had no other option".

"Secondly, it was carried out in response to a series of attacks and recurring aggressions by the Israeli regime on Iran's interests, especially on our embassy in Syria.

"Thirdly, it took place in the fulfillment of Iran's right to legitimate defense under international law.

"Fourthly, it was conducted by observing the criterion of non-aggression to civilian people and places.

"And fifthly, it focused solely on the two military bases of the Israeli regime which had been used in the attack on our Embassy, and therefore it was completely limited and proportionate in terms of scope and military requirements," Amir-Abdollahian summed up.

Moreover, the minister said, "since it was clear that the supporters of the Israeli regime, who are unrelenting partners in its carnage in Gaza, would assist the regime in neutralizing the Iranian attack, a wide variety of weapons were used to ensure the achievement of the attack's goal i.e. legitimate defense".

"The attack by my country’s armed forces was limited and minimal, targeting only military bases and was in line with international law and the principle of non-aggression against civilian areas to ensure proportionality and accurate execution."

Iran, Amir-Abdollahian said, has always been a positive part of regional developments, treading the path of stabilizing peace and lasting security, including the fight against terrorism.

It "will have no reservations nor compromise at all with any party over our national security and interests as well as the collective security in the sensitive region of West Asia," he said. 

The Security Council, the minister said, "must compel  the rogue and rebel regime of Israel  to immediately stop the war and genocide in Gaza". 

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