Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva have severely censured the latest Israeli strikes against the country’s military sites, stating that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to exercise its legitimate right and defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a note addressed to the member states of the Conference on Disarmament on Thursday, Iran's diplomatic mission enumerated a series of the Israeli regime’s actions and adventurism that run contrary to international laws and have targeted Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The mission said actions included the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh who was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the attack on several military installations in Iran.
The mission noted that such moves constitute flagrant violations of the fundamental principles of international law, diplomatic and consular immunities besides Article 2, Clause 4 of the UN Charter and United Nations resolutions, emphasizing that Iran reserves its inherent right to defend its nationals, interests and national security under Article 51 of the Charter.
It went on to refer to Iran’s retaliatory operations against Israel, dubbed Operation True Promise I and II, stating that the Islamic Republic conducted limited and precise military operations against many Israeli military centers following a period of self-restraint as well as noticeable and disgusting inaction of the Security Council to deal with Israel's atrocities and crimes against Iran's sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, nationals and national interests.
The diplomatic mission highlighted that the Iranian operations were carried out within the framework of the country’s sovereign rights under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and in full compliance with international legal obligations, particularly the international humanitarian law.
“Unfortunately, any self-restraint by Iran to maintain regional and international peace and security has given rise to the [Israeli] regime’s miscalculations and emboldened it.
“Therefore, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the inherent right to legitimate defense in light of the recent Israeli attacks against some structure inside Iran to prevent further violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and repulse the regime from persisting in its crimes and brutalities, as Operations True Promise I and II proved,” the note read.
The Iranian diplomatic mission also called on the member states of the Conference on Disarmament and the international community to condemn these attacks and take serious and effective steps to force the Israeli regime to end its heinous crimes and atrocities.
It underscored that Israel’s behavior in West Asia and perpetration of various crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes confirm that its possession of nuclear munitions and other weapons of mass destruction poses a serious and imminent threat to peace and security.
“Therefore, given the repercussions of the Israeli regime's aggressive actions, it is necessary for the international community and the United Nations to take a firm stance against the regime and hold it accountable for its flagrant violations of international law and commission of international crimes,” the mission stated.