New York [US], June 23: Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, issued a stern warning during an emergency Security Council session on Sunday, declaring that Iran’s armed forces would decide the “timing, nature, and scale” of a military response to recent US and Israeli attacks. His statement comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following US-led airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Speaking at the UN Headquarters in New York under the agenda item “Threats to International Peace and Security,” Iravani condemned the June 21 US strikes and the June 13 Israeli actions as clear violations of international law. He accused both nations of sabotaging diplomacy and escalating regional conflict.
“Iran reserves its full and legitimate right under international law to defend itself against this blatant US aggression and its Israeli proxy,” Iravani said. “The timing, nature, and scale of Iran’s proportionate response will be determined solely by its armed forces.”
He directly criticized Israel, stating that it had deliberately “destroyed diplomacy” and dismissed any recent diplomatic overtures as deceptive. “The so-called offer of diplomacy was nothing more than a deceitful policy to mislead the international community,” he stated.
Iravani also held the US, UK, France, and Israel accountable for civilian casualties and infrastructure damage resulting from the attacks. “The United States, the UK, and France—three permanent members of this Council—along with the Israeli regime, will bear full responsibility for the deaths of innocent civilians in Iran, especially women and children, and the destruction of vital infrastructure,” he added.
In a pointed remark about ongoing diplomatic processes, Iravani referenced recent meetings between Iran’s Foreign Minister and European representatives. “The week our foreign minister held talks with the E3 and the EU, the United States decided to destroy diplomacy. What conclusion can be drawn from this? From the Western perspective, Iran must return to the negotiation table—but as our Foreign Minister said, how can Iran return to something it never left?”
The ambassador urged the Security Council to take decisive action to preserve global stability. “If this Council and the United Nations—established to uphold international peace and security—fail to act now, they will forever lose their credibility and relevance,” Iravani warned.
These comments come in the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer, a US-led military operation targeting Iran’s underground nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation has heightened fears of a broader conflict in the region, prompting emergency diplomatic engagements at the United Nations.