[US-Iran Airstrikes] Security Council Emergency Meeting... Iran Calls US-Israel Strikes "War Crimes" (Comprehensive)

US Stresses "Moral Clarity"
China and Russia Emphasize Iranian Sovereignty

An emergency Security Council meeting on the Middle East situation held on the 28th (local time) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on the afternoon of the 28th (local time) to discuss the situation in the Middle East following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.

This meeting was convened at the request of five countries: Bahrain, the Arab representative, as well as France, Russia, China, and Colombia.

At the meeting, Iran characterized the airstrikes by the United States and Israel as "war crimes" and emphasized its right to self-defense. Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, stated that the United States and Israel had deliberately attacked densely populated civilian areas in major Iranian cities, resulting in the deaths of over 100 children at a single school.

Ambassador Iravani asserted, "The number of innocent civilian casualties continues to rise," adding, "This is not merely an act of aggression, but a war crime and a crime against humanity." He criticized the war against Iran as a war against the United Nations Charter, as well as a war crime against international law and the international order, and declared that Iran would exercise its right to self-defense "without hesitation."

In contrast, the United States referred to "moral clarity," arguing that the operation aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Ike Waltz, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, stated, "This is a historic moment that demands moral clarity," and emphasized that the goal of the operation is "to ensure that the Iranian regime can never threaten the world with nuclear weapons."

Ambassador Waltz also noted that Iran's support for proxy groups such as the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas has "for far too long" caused bloodshed and chaos throughout the Middle East, adding, "No responsible nation can tolerate continued aggression and violence."

In an additional statement, he strongly rejected Iran's claim that the actions of the United States violated international law, saying, "The United States firmly rejects these ludicrous and, frankly, absurd assertions."

Israel also asserted the legitimacy of its actions, stating they were taken to prevent an "existential threat." China and Russia criticized the United States, emphasizing respect for Iran’s sovereignty.

Danny Danon, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, explained that the United States and Israel launched the strikes against Iran to prevent an "existential threat" before it was too late, arguing that the Iranian regime left them "no other choice." Ambassador Danon stated that diplomatic means were no longer effective and urged Iran to halt uranium enrichment and allow full inspections.

China and Russia criticized the United States and Israel, emphasizing the need to respect Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Fu Cong, China's Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed "deep concern over the recent developments," called for respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter, and condemned the use of force and threats in international relations. He added, "China stresses that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other countries in the region must be respected."

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations, refuted the U.S. claim that the attack was aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Ambassador Nebenzia asserted that Iran has stated it does not have a nuclear weapons program and is faithfully fulfilling its obligations.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of compliance with international law and called on the international community to take action to prevent further escalation. Secretary-General Guterres criticized not only the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, but also Iran's retaliatory strikes that violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring countries such as Bahrain and Iraq.

He warned that failure to prevent further deterioration "will lead to a larger conflict with devastating consequences for civilians and regional stability," and urged the parties involved to resume negotiations so that "the region and the world can step back from the brink."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.