Iran tells UN that strikes on Israel are self-defence

NEW YORK CITY - Iran’s strikes on Israel are self-defence and are “proportionate defensive operations directed exclusively at military objectives and associated infrastructure”, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council on June 16.

He wrote in a letter that any cooperation by third countries with Israel’s strikes on Iran “makes them complicit in the legal responsibility and consequences of this crisis”.

Speaking to reporters later on June 16, Mr Iravani singled out the US.

“Without the US weapons, intelligence and political backing, this attack could not have happened. The United States will share responsibility for this unlawful act,” he said.

“Let me be clear, Iran has not attacked Israel. Iran has not started any war. The so-called existential threat narrative is false.”

Israel launched its air war on June 13

with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran’s military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists.

It has said its aim is to destroy Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Iran has since retaliated against Israel.

“In the past 48 hours, Iran has launched over 1000 missiles and drones directly at Israeli civilians,” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said on June 16. “Iran aims its missiles at children, while we target the regime’s terror machine.”

Mr Iravani told the Security Council in his letter that Iran was acting under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which requires the 15-member Security Council to be immediately informed of any action states take in self-defence against armed attack.

The Security Council met on June 13, at the request of Tehran, over Israel’s initial attacks on Iran.

Mr Danon said that Israel has “pushed back the nuclear programme in the last few days, we will continue with our efforts to push back the programme”.

He added: “It is much more challenging operation, and it takes time.” REUTERS