Iran, in a letter to the United Nations, stated unequivocally that it reserves the right to self-defense under international law after the assassination of Commander of IRGC's Quds Force, Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani.

Iran Press/America: Martyred Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated along with several senior members of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in the early hours of Friday Morning 3 January at Baghdad International airport.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht-Ravanchi in a letter to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday wrote that the assassination of Lieutenant General Soleimani “by any measure, is an obvious example of State-sponsored terrorism and, as a criminal act, constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including, in particular, those stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.

Earlier, Takht-Ravanchi in an interview with CNN said the act of terrorism by United States was tantamount to starting a war against Iran. 

“In fact, it was an act of war on the part of the United States against the Iranian people,” he said.

“The US started an economic war against the Iranian people back in May 2018 when President Trump decided to withdraw from the JCOPA, the nuclear deal. And started the maximum-pressure campaign against the Iranians, putting lots of economic pressure on Iran. And they have continued until today," he said.

Iran's UN ambassador noted: "Last night, they opened a new chapter –the attack against Iranians by assassinating one of our most beloved generals, who is popular not only in Iran but also in the countries of the region. So, that was, as I said, a new chapter which is tantamount to opening a war against Iran.” 101/211

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US action was act of war: Iran's Amb. to UN