TEHRAN - Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations has rejected the United States' accusations against Iran regarding Yemen's operations in the Red Sea, calling them baseless and a distraction from the real issues. 

“The purpose of the U.S. and the Israeli regime to make such baseless accusations is clear: to divert international attention away from the root causes of the current situation in the Red Sea, namely the ongoing genocide and barbaric massacres that are being committed by the Israeli regime and fully supported by the U.S. against the innocent Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, as well as their participation in coordinated military aggressions and malevolent activities against other nations in the region,” Amir Saeed Iravani said in a letter to the head of the UN Security Council. 

Israel’s bombing campaign against the Gaza Strip, coupled with its ground offensive into the territory, has killed over 23,000 Palestinian civilians since October 7. Despite repeated international calls for a ceasefire, Israeli leaders claim they would continue attacking Gaza until the enclave no longer poses any risks to the regime. That’s while Israel has imposed a full siege on the region, denying the over 2 million population there of food, water, and medication. Figures show that about 5% of Gaza’s population is now either lost or dead. 

In solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, the Yemeni armed forces have been targeting ships in the Red Sea connected to Israel or traveling to and from the occupied territories. The U.S. has formed a coalition against Yemeni forces in the Red Sea, where a significant portion of global trade passes through, and is risking the spread of a new war, instead of pressuring Israel to stop its genocidal attacks on the Palestinians. Washington and Tel Aviv accuse Iran of orchestrating the Yemeni attacks, while Tehran has repeatedly clarified that it has no authority over resistance forces in the region. 

“The United States cannot deny or cover up the incontestable reality that recent incidents in the Red Sea are directly related to Israel's continued atrocities against the Palestinian people in Gaza. The United States and the Israeli regime bear full responsibility for the reprehensible crimes unfolding in occupied Palestine,” Iravani pointed out. 

He emphasized that any U.S. intervention in the Red Sea could jeopardize regional peace and reiterated Iran's commitment to maritime security and freedom of navigation.

“Cautioning against any provocative or irresponsible actions by the United States that may endanger regional peace and security, the Islamic Republic of Iran urges the Security Council to uphold its responsibilities to address the causes of the current situation in the Red Sea. In this regard, the Security Council must take decisive measures to compel the Israeli regime to halt its bloodshed, cease its aggressive acts, and steadfastly adhere to its international obligations under humanitarian and human rights laws”.