TEHRAN – Iran has sent a message to the president of the United Nations Security Council to protest “provocative” and “terror-inciting” remarks by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.

“Upon instructions from my Government, I would like to draw your attention to the recent provocative and terror-inciting statement made by US Senator Lindsey Graham in which he stated support for further terrorist acts against Iranian nuclear scientists,” the letter, dated 1 March 2022, said. 

It added, “In an interview on 14 February 2022 during his tour of occupied Palestinian territories, Senator Lindsey Graham referred to the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist in late 2020 and, in an invitation for additional terrorist acts against Iranian scientists, remarked, ‘You know, a lot of Iranian scientists have had a lot of accidents, he said. ‘I would expect there’ll be more accidents to come’.”

Iran described the remarks as “repulsive” and “abhorrent” and said it reserves its right to defend its citizens. 

“This repulsive, abhorrent and reprehensible remark, which serves as a green light to the Israeli regime to perpetrate further terrorist acts against Iranian nuclear scientists, is a clear breach of the US' international obligations, particularly those under UN resolutions that call on States to prohibit incitement to terrorist acts and refrain from providing any kind of support for terrorist activities,” the letter stated. 

It further said, “Recalling the Israeli regime's long history of sabotage operations against Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities, including the cowardly assassination of several Iranian nuclear scientists in recent years  as well as joint US-Israeli cyberoperations against Iran's nuclear facilities using a malicious computer worm known as Stuxnet, the international community in general and the Security Council in particular must vigorously condemn such provocation and incitement for terrorist acts which threaten to further destabilize an already volatile region.”

It pointed out, “While warning against the Israeli regime’s adventurism as well as its ramifications for the region's peace and security, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its right under international law to take all necessary measures to protect and defend its citizens, interests and installations against any terrorist or disruptive acts.”

Iran also asked the president of the UN Security Council to circulate the letter as a document of the Security Council.