TEHRAN - Iran has said the UN Security Council must hold the U.S. and Israel accountable for planning and assassinating Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

"Given the dire implications of this terrorist act on international peace and security, the Security Council must live up to its Charter-based responsibilities and hold the United States and the Israeli regime to account for planning, supporting and committing that terrorist act," Majid Takht Ravanchi, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, wrote in a letter to UN Security Council President Mona Juul on Sunday.

General Soleimani, Quds Force chief, was assassinated in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. The assassination was ordered by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) deputy chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who received General Soleimani at the airport, and their bodyguards were also martyred in the state terrorist attack.

Tamir Hey, who retired as the head of Israel’s army intelligence in October, has acknowledged Israel's involvement in the assassination of the top Iranian general, who was as a legendary commander in the fight against terrorist groups including Daesh.

Takht Ravanchi said “this criminal act also entails the criminal responsibility of all those who” who were “directly or indirectly” involved in the attack.

The full text of Takht Ravanchi's letter is as follows:

Excellency,

Concurrent with the second anniversary of the horrific assassination of Martyr Major General Qassem Soleimani, the Commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – an official branch of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran – and his companions, on 3 January 2020 at Baghdad International Airport, at the direct order of the then President of the United States, I would like to bring to your attention the recent information concerning the involvement of the Israeli regime in this heinous terrorist act.

In a recent interview, the former military intelligence chief of the Israeli regime admitted the involvement of the Israeli regime in the premeditated assassination of Martyr Soleimani, stating that the “Israeli intelligence played a part” in that assassination, and described it as “an achievement” and one of the two significant and important assassinations during his term.

As I have on numerous occasions underlined, including in my letters dated 3 January 2020 (S/2020/13), 7 January 2020 (S/2020/16) and 29 January 2020 (S/2020/81) addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, this internationally wrongful criminal act was a grave breach of the obligations of the United States under international law, thus entails its international responsibility.

This criminal act also entails the criminal responsibility of all those who had aided, abetted or otherwise assisted and supported, by any means, directly or indirectly, the planning or perpetration of this terrorist act, the clear example of which is the supportive role and the involvement of the Israeli regime in it.

Martyr Soleimani played a significant role in combatting international terrorism and accordingly was rightfully given the title of the Hero of the Fight against Terrorism and the General of Peace, and therefore his cowardly assassination was a big gift and service to Daesh and other Security Council designated terrorist groups in the region who welcomed his assassination, calling it “an act of divine intervention that benefitted” them.

Given the dire implications of this terrorist act on international peace and security, the Security Council must live up to its Charter-based responsibilities and hold the United States and the Israeli regime to account for planning, supporting and committing that terrorist act.

In line with our rights and obligations under international law, the Iranian armed forces are determined to vigorously continue Martyr Soleimani’s path in actively assisting regional nations and governments, upon their requests, to combat foreign-backed terrorist groups in the region until they are uprooted completely.