Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN Amir-Saeid Iravani wrote similar letters on Wednesday to the UN chief as well as presidents of the Security Council and the General Assembly, a day after Iran’s ambassador to Beirut Mojtaba Amani was injured in an explosion of an electronic pager, which was part of blasts caused by such devices in multiple locations in Lebanon.
Iravani said that Iran reserves its rights under international law to take required measures deemed necessary to respond to such a heinous crime and violation.
The following is the full text of the Iranian UN representative’s letters.
Excellency,
I am writing to bring to Your Excellency's attention the cowardly and vicious terrorist attacks against Lebanon civilians and the act of aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, carried out by the Israeli regime, which also targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran's Ambassador to Lebanon. According to reports from the Lebanese authorities, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 17 September 2024, at approximately around 3:30 p.m. (local time), in a premeditated and provocative act aimed at the mass killing and murder of Lebanese civilians, the Israeli regime detonated handheld communication devices in Beirut. These criminal and terrorist attacks resulted in the killing of at least 11 civilians and injured thousands more, including Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, who sustained injuries.
The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns this act of sabotage and terrorism by the rogue regime of Israel. In this regard, I draw the attention of the members of the Security Council to the following points:
The internationally wrongful acts committed by the Zionist regime are of a terrorist nature, aimed at escalating tensions in the region and further threatening regional peace and security. Undoubtedly, the Israeli regime bears full responsibility for such perpetration of such horrific crimes.
These terrorist actions are a flagrant violation of the basic principles and rules of international law, including the UN Charter, international law, particularly international humanitarian law and international human rights law as well as the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents.
The continued terrorist actions and violations of international law by the Israeli regime pose a serious threat to international peace and security. Western countries, especially the United States as a strategic ally, by their unwavering so-called ironclad support for this regime, bear international responsibility for all the internationally wrongful acts by the occupying regime.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will duly follow up on the attack against its ambassador in Lebanon, which resulted in his injury, and reserves its rights under international law to take required measures deemed necessary to respond to such a heinous crime and violation.
This heinous crime which was widespread, systematic and aimed at killing, murdering, and causing great suffering and serious injuring to the civilian population constitutes a crime against humanity. It demonstrates that the Zionist regime, beyond committing atrocious crimes, including war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. Addressing these illegal actions is urgently necessary and the international community must act swiftly to end the impunity of the Zionist regime's officials.
The UN Secretary-General and the Security Council must condemn unequivocally Israel’s terrorist action and heinous crime against the head of Iran's diplomatic mission in Lebanon, as well as violations of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and attacks and targeting of Lebanese civilians. The Security Council must also strongly condemn Israel for its malevolent activities in the region and take decisive action to force this terrorist regime to end and cease all acts of aggression and acts of terrorism against Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine and stop the ongoing genocidal war against the Palestinian people.
I should be grateful if you would circulate the present letter as a document of the Security Council and the General Assembly under agenda items 82 titled “Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security, and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives” and 110 titled “Measures to eliminate international terrorism.”
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
