TEHRAN – The world condemned recent Israeli attacks on Iran during a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, as the regime’s Western allies refused to address its unchecked warmongering and violence which has brought the region to the brink of war multiple times in the past year. 

The meeting was requested by Iran with the support of Algeria, China, and Russia, according to the Swiss U.N. mission. In a letter to the 15-member council on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel’s actions constitute a “grave threat to international peace and security and further destabilize an already fragile region.”

Israeli warplanes fired long-range ballistic missiles at Iran’s military installations in the early hours of Saturday. The attacks caused minimal damage but took the lives of 4 Army personnel and one civilian. Iran’s defense systems managed to prevent the regime’s aircraft from entering the country’s airspace. Israel shot at Iran from Iraq. 

Since October of 2023, West Asia has been convulsed with incessant waves of Israeli violence that have so far decimated Gaza, displaced one-fifth of Lebanon’s population, and killed over 46,000 civilians in the region. The regime began its aggression against Iran by attacking its embassy in Damascus in April and assassinating Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil in July. A high-ranking commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) was also martyred in an Israeli airstrike on southern Beirut in September. The same attack took the life of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyad Hassan Nasrallah.

Multiple Iranian officials have said the country will not look past the regime’s violation of Iran’s territory. In response to the regime’s previous aggressions, the IRGC carried out two operations that directly targeted the regime’s military bases in the occupied territories. Given the fact that Iran’s territory has been attacked for the first time since the conclusion of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the country’s third engagement with Israel is expected to be more significant than the previous two. 

After the UNSC meeting on Monday. Iran’s foreign minister called on the council to sanction Israel. 

‘UN should move away from mere words’

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani described Monday's emergency meeting as “both timely and necessary” in the face of the “egregious and severe violation of international law and the UN Charter” by Israel. 

He also stated that this aggression is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of impunity that has been enabled by the United States “unconditional support” which has “emboldened Israel to persist in these crimes.” 

He also urged the Security Council to take decisive measures to restore peace and authority in the region. “Responsibility requires more than words and recommendations,” he said.

‘Attack on Iran not an isolated incident’

During the meeting, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned of an “uncontrolled spiral” of violence in West Asia, condemning Israel’s strikes against Iran. 
“The region is already destabilized because of escalating violence surrounding the Gaza Strip for over a year,” he said.
 This was “not Israel’s first airstrike”, he stressed, urging Council members to “do their utmost to ensure the region does not tumble into a war”.
 “There is no alternative to a ceasefire,” he stated, calling on the United States to “be responsible and use all available tools to implement existing resolution son regional settlement”.

‘No U.S. participation in Israel’s attack against Iran’

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, described Israel’s violation of Iran’s territorial integrity this Saturday as a “proportional and direct military response in self-defense”, adding there were “no reports of civilian harm”. That’s while at least one Iranian civilian was killed during the Israeli airstrikes. 

“Specifically, Israel conducted precision air strikes against multiple, military targets across Iran and outside populated areas,” she said.
 
She added that the U.S. did not participate in Israel’s latest aggression, rather it encouraged the Israeli regime to shape the operation as it did.

‘Israel must end occupation of all Arab lands’

During the UNSC meeting, Syrian Ambassador Bassam Qusay Al Dahhak said Israeli aggression against Iran is “a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran.” 

Israel's actions are widespread, free from any restrictions and controls as they continue to threaten regional and international peace and security, he said.
Renewing its call on the Security Council to take immediate action to respond and put an end to the occupier's acts of aggression, he underlined the need to hold war criminals accountable and to implement all related Council resolutions to ensure an end to the occupation.

‘Curbing Israel’s violence a duty of UN’

Algerian envoy to the UN, Amar Bendjama, reiterated his warning over "the risk of the Israeli aggression against Gaza spreading across West Asia," and said: "Unfortunately, this risk has become a reality."
"We face a regional conflict with serious and foreseeable global consequences," he said, criticizing some Security Council members who are "reluctant" to describe the situation "a threat to international peace and security."
"The Israeli attacks are a deniable breach of international peace, and this Council must act to restore international peace and security," he said.
He also called on the council members to "impose an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and Lebanon.”

‘Israel violated Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity’

China's U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong said Beijing condemns acts that violate Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and opposes acts of destruction that threaten regional peace and security. “At present, the Iranian-Israeli relations and the situation of the region are on the edge. We are gravely concerned about the escalation caused by Israel’s actions and urge Israel to effectively cease all provocative acts.” 

The Chinese envoy said that at the same time, his country calls on all parties to exercise calm and restraint, jointly abide by the UN Charter and the principles of international law, and return to the right track of resolving disputes by political and diplomatic means.?