The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Iran
1 March 11:13
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation surrounding Iran after massive strikes by the US and Israel. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned both the strikes and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks, which, as Guterres emphasized, “violated the sovereignty of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.” He called what is happening in the Middle East “a serious threat to international peace and security” and referred to the prohibition of the use of force enshrined in the UN Charter, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to DW.
According to Israeli sources, strikes were carried out on 20 cities in Iran, including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Shahriar, and Tabriz. Among the dead, according to available data, are high-ranking officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian media report that at least 85 people were killed in an air strike on a girls’ school in Minabi, and two more people were killed in a strike on a school in Tehran. The country’s airspace is closed and the internet is almost completely shut down.
Iran, declaring its right to self-defense, launched retaliatory strikes on American targets in the region. A number of Persian Gulf countries reported intercepting Iranian missiles. In the UAE, one civilian was killed by debris. There were also reports of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Israeli data, 89 people were injured as a result of Iranian strikes on Israel.
The positions of the parties diverged
The UN Security Council meeting was convened at the initiative of France. It condemned Iran’s strikes on countries in the region, declared its readiness to defend its allies, and pointed to Tehran’s reduced cooperation with the IAEA. Russia, on the contrary, supported Iran, calling the actions of the US and Israel “an act of aggression.”
In turn, US Permanent Representative to the UN Mike Waltz said that the operation, called “Epic Fury,” was directed against Iran’s missile and naval infrastructure in order to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. He also accused Tehran of supporting the Islamic radical movements Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Israeli Permanent Representative Danny Danon said that diplomatic options had been exhausted and that the operation was aimed at eliminating a “significant threat.”
The Iranian representative called the US and Israeli attacks a violation of the UN Charter and confirmed the “legitimate right to self-defense.” António Guterres called on all parties to immediately de-escalate and resume negotiations on the nuclear program, noting that the recent round of consultations mediated by Oman had not been completed.
Israeli Permanent Representative Danny Danon said that Iran had enriched uranium in violation of international law, developed missiles, built underground facilities, and killed its own citizens and suppressed dissent. According to Danon, Israel, together with the United States, took the necessary steps to prevent “a significant threat before it became irreversible.” Iran left the US and Israel with no other choice, and diplomatic options have been exhausted, the Israeli representative added.
