TEHRAN — Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has said U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to use military force against Iran constitutes a gross violation of the United Nations’ Charter.

“I am writing to inform you that, on 14 September 2020, the President of the United States of America, referring to ‘press reports’, made a baseless allegation against the Islamic Republic of Iran and threatened to use force against my country,” Majid Takht-Ravanchi wrote in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

“Such a provocative statement constitutes a gross violation of the very fundamental principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, particularly its Article 2(4) that clearly prohibits the threat or use of force,” Takht-Ravanchi said, according to IRNA.

The letter came in response to Trump’s tweet, in which he threatened Iran with a “1,000 times greater” attack after a fake Politico report claimed that Iran is planning to assassinate the U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

“According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or another attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years,” Trump wrote in his Twitter page, referring to the U.S. assassination of Iran’s anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani on January 3.

“Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!” Trump added.

According to Takht-Ravanchi, it was not the first time that the U.S. president has threatened to use force against Iran. 

He said after the assassination of Qassem Soleimani on 3 January and in the course of January 3 to 5, Trump threatened on five different occasions to use force against Iran.

“We seriously warn about any further military adventurism against Iran by the United States who must bear the full responsibility for all consequences,” Takht-Ravanchi maintained.

“The irresponsible policies and unlawful practices of the United States pose a serious threat to international peace and security,” he added.

Therefore, he continued, it is incumbent upon the UN Security Council to demand that the United States put an end to its threats and unfettered policies and hold that country accountable for its wrongful acts.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent right to self-defense to protect its people, defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and secure its national interests against any aggression,” the ambassador remarked.

“I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council,” he concluded.

The Foreign Ministry has also strongly rejected the Politico report as false.

In a Monday statement, spokesman Khatibzadeh linked the report to the upcoming U.S. presidential election, which could pose a great challenge to Trump’s re-election.

The spokesman also said, “This kind of unfounded and baseless remarks is part of the Trump administration’s disinformation campaign against Iran.”

According to Khatibzadeh, it was predictable that the U.S. administration would resort to lying and leveling accusations against Iran ahead of U.S. presidential election simultaneously with its efforts to misuse the UN Security Council mechanisms in order to increase pressure on the Iranian people.
 
“This type of measures and headline-making, which is likely to continue in the future, will absolutely yield no results and will be added to the long list of U.S. failures against Iran,” Khatibzadeh asserted. He also accused Politico of selling the Trump administration’s “folly.”

Khatibzadeh also said that Iran “will never forgive or forget” the cowardly assassination of Soleimani and will pursue the case legally.

MH/PA