Iranian Foreign Minister Denounces Israeli Aggression at UN Human Rights Council
Tehran, The Gulf Observer: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi delivered a forceful address at a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, condemning Israel for launching what he described as an unprovoked and illegal war against Iran on June 13.
Araghchi stated that Israel’s attacks, which struck residential neighborhoods, military installations, and nuclear facilities, were a flagrant breach of international law and a direct assault on Iran’s sovereignty. “We are determined to defend our sovereignty and will defend our territorial integrity and sovereignty with all our might,” he declared, characterizing Israel’s actions as “unjust aggressive action.”
He accused Israel of manipulating the facts to rationalize its military offensive and warned that any endorsement or justification of the aggression would amount to complicity in war crimes. The Iranian top diplomat called on signatories of the 1949 Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations in the face of what he termed crimes against humanity.
Araghchi highlighted that the Israeli strikes took place during ongoing diplomatic efforts to address concerns surrounding Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. He described the assault as a “betrayal of diplomacy” and a grave affront to the international legal order.
“This is now a historic moment for human civilization,” he said. “The world, every government, every institution, and every mechanism must be awake and must act now — to stop the aggressor, end impunity, and prosecute those criminals who relentlessly commit crimes and atrocities in our region.”
While reaffirming Iran’s commitment to diplomacy and dialogue, Araghchi stressed the country’s right to self-defense. Since the initial attacks last Friday, Iran has responded with at least 17 waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli military and economic infrastructure in the occupied territories. Iranian officials have warned that such responses will continue until, in their words, “the regime has learned its lesson.”
Following his address at the UN, Foreign Minister Araghchi was scheduled to hold high-level talks with the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, and France to discuss the escalating crisis and potential avenues to prevent further regional destabilization.
