Statement by Mr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Before the open Debate of the UN Security Council on “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”
April 18 , 2024 – New York
In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Mr. President,
Over the past months, the Security Council has held several meetings to deal with various types of war crimes and genocide by the Israeli regime against Gaza, which have yielded no “practical result” – I repeat – “no practical result”-despite the adoption of three resolutions and a statement and call for an immediate ceasefire, and extensive delivery of aid to the people.
During the same period, the International Court of Justice has issued two abiding temporary orders which require in practice at least the full cessassion of Israeli attacks and opening of all routes including through the land for delivering humanitarian assistance.
Moreover, the Israeli regime has continued to kill and destroy with the utmost brutality. More than 34,000 Palestinian civilians have been martyred, mostly women and children, and tens of thousands of others have been injured; the population of Gaza has been forced to displace; more than 70% of residential areas and infrastructure, including hospitals, mosques and churches, educational centers and historical and cultural places have been deliberately rubbled to the ground; aid convoys and reilief workers including gthe staff of the World Central Kitchen have been targeted; these are only a few examples of the vast destruction for which the Israeli regime is responsible.
The attack on the first of April by the terrorist regime of Israel on the premises of my country’s embassy in Damascus showed yet again that this regime does not hesitate to violate the fundamental principle of the immunity of diplomatic places and people as well as the Vienna Conventions. As the majority of the members of the Security Council declared at the April 2 meeting here, the attack was a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the Vienna Conventions, and thus is strongly condemned.
Regertably, the Security Council, has not taken any action during the past months to our official and repeated requests to prevent further attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran’s interests, and official military counter-terrorism counselors; due to the unfortunate and completely irresponsible behavior of the United States, the UK and France, in response to this illegal attack, this council failed even to issue a mere statement containing a simple condemnation!
Mr. President,
No member state — I repeat — “no member state ” would ever remain silent in the face of such a brazen and serious military attack on its Embassy, which is considered a symbol of its sovereignty as well as the killing of its officially-assigned diplomat agents. For the purpose of preventing the escalation of tension, considering regional situation and giving opportunity to the role of the United Nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran, until recently showed considerable restraint against other terrorist missile attacks of the Israeli regime. When we saw repeated greenlight of the White House to the continued Isrtaeli regime crimes and murder in the light of the continuous inaction of the Security Council to stop the Israeli attacks, we could no longer excercize patience against attacks to our embassy and sovereignty.
Therefore, Iran’s military response on 13 of April, was first and foremost, absolutey necessary because Iran had no other alternative;
Secondly, it was not premeditated ab initio but was carried out in response to a series of attacks and recurring aggressions by the Israeli regime on Iran’s interests, especially on our Embassy in Syria;
Thirdly, Iran’s response took place in the fulfillment of Iran’s right to legitimate defense under international law;
Fourthly, Iran’s response considered the criterion of non-aggression to civilian people and places;
And fifthly, Iran’s response was directed solely on two military bases of the Israeli regime used in the attack on our Embassy, and therefore it was completely limited and proportionate in terms of scope and military requirements.
Moreover, since it was clear that the supporters of the Israeli regime, who are unrelenting partners in its carnage in Gaza, would definitely assist the regime in neutralizing the Iranian attack, our legitimate defense was put up to ensure we achieve our objective. The calculated and accurate design of our attack which carried a message and was limited and minimal within the framework of the international law and legitimate defense as well as the damages incurred on military targets and non-aggression to civilian areas by the armed forces of my country guaranteed the proportionality and accuracy of our assessment in exactly hitting the target.
Mr. President
I emphasize that Iran’s legitimate defense and proportionate and counter action have terminated. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our interests. Certainly, in case of any use of force and aggression by the Israeli regime against the Iranian interests, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to excersize its inherent right to give a decisive, strong and immediate response to it to make the regime fully regret its actions. This is an unchangeable decision.
I would like to make it abundantly clear with a loud voice from New York that Iran has always been a positive part of regional developments particularly in stabilizing peace and lasting security, including the fight against terrorism, and will have no reservations and we will not ompromise at all with any party over our national security and interests as well as the collective security in the sensitive region of West Asia. The Security Council must control the rogue and rebel regime of Israel and immediately stop the root of war and genocide in Gaza.
When we talk about sustainable security and stability of the region as well as counter-terrorism, we cannot ignore the very influential and distinguished role played by the Islamic Revolution Gaurd Corps in the fight against terrorism. One cannot commend the sacrifice of the IRGC commanders and brigadiers especially General Qassem Soleimani.
Without doubt, the sacrifice by General Soleimani and the IRGC in brining peace and tranquility to the region and assisting the government and people in Iraq and Syria is the talk of the twon.
In this respect, Iran’s counter-terrorism military counselors will continue with power their efforts to help secure sustainable security in the region.
Mr. President,
The crimes of the Israeli regime in Gaza, the West Bank and other areas of occupied Palestine, as well as its attacks on other countries in the region, are indicative of several undeniable facts:
- The extensive attacks of this regime posses all the maerrial and spiritual elements of the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide and therefore cause international liability for the regime and its allies and require trial and punishment for all the commanders, perpetrators and supporters of those atrocities.
- The Zionist regime with reliance on the support of the United States and some of its allies respect and observe no red line for the advancement of its apartheid policy, ethnic cleansing, genocide and even the expansion of hostility.
- The United States and some Western countries are the main cause of hindering serious global efforts including in this council to establish immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. They continue to block the full membership of the government of Palestine in the United Nations and fail to support the issue of a statement by this council in support of the Vienna Conventions and the principle of inviolability of diplomatic premises.
- The essence and nature of the Israeli regime is based on aggression, occupation, terror, assassination and genocide. Therefore, all of its past actions, such as the so-called peace negotiations, the conclusion of the Abraham Accords, and the normalization of relations, were not only non-peaceful, but they were inherently and completely deceptive, and as a result, lacked any practical results to realize the inherent rights of the Palestinian nation.
- Developments and resistance in Gaza and the West Bank during the past six months demonstrated once again that destroying the resistance of Palestine and Hamas as a liberation movement against the pccupier is nothing but an illusion. The support of all the nations of the region and the freedom seekers of the world for the praiseworthy resistance of the Palestinian nation also proved that this nation is not at all alone in realizing its inherent right under international law. Israel is not a legitimate state; it is only an occupying power, and the passage of time does not and will not give legitimacy to the occupying power because based on the well-known principles of international law, the status of occupation of a land is temporary, even if it lasts for decades.
- The destabilizing measures of Tel Aviv in the region pose a serious menace to peace and security; it is absolutey necessary and urgent to prevent this trend which is principally an inherent duty of the Security Council.
Mr. President
I appreciate the positive efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations in supporting the rights of the pople of Palestine. The Islamic Republic of echoes the voice of many other governments and states of the world in asking this council to consider the gravity of the situation in Palestine as well as the exasperation of situation in Gaza and the negative and destructive consequences of war and genocide in Gaza and fulfill its responsibility to stop the real danger of escalation and hostility and its destructive, strategic and extensive impacts on peace under such critical conditions and utilize all the available capacities to put an immediate stop on the atrocities of the Israeli regime in Gaza and Rafah and focus specifically on delivering sufficient humanitarian aid, compelling the regime of Israel to withdraw entirely from Gaza and exchange prisoners so that all would witness security and peace in the region from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Let’s not forget that the security of the region is the security of the world and all of us.
In this context , the Security Council is strongly expected to adopt a comprehensive and decisive resolution under Chapter Seven of the United Nations Charter and take the following measures:
- To establish an immediate, complete, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in all areas of Gaza, especially in Rafah and even the West Bank;
- To fully lift the human blockade on Gaza;
- To exchange prisoners;
- To compel the regime to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all military forces and their warfre equipment from Gaza and the necessity of the safe return of the people to their areas and places;
- To enforce a comprehensive and immediate arms embargo against the Zionist regime;
- To support the legally binding provisional orders of the International Court of Justice and also prepare the ground for the trial and punishment of all the commanders, perpetrators and supporters of Israeli crimes due to the widespread and heinous commission of genocide, the targeted killing of journalists, the UN humanitarian workers, and the employees of public service institutions and NGOs, repeated use of non-conventional weapons, including phosphorus bombs, and repeated threats by Israeli regime officials to use nuclear bomb in Gaza;
Mr. President
I would like to reiterate that the rootcause of the Middle East crisis lies in the occupation of the historical land of Palestine and its comprehensive, just and permanent solution also lies in providing the necessary ground for the complete and free realization of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination through holding a referendum among all the original Palestinian residents, including Muslims, Christians and Jews, with the help of the United Nations leading to the establishment of an inclusive government in the historical and mother land of Palestine with al-Quds as its capital
I would like to conclude my remarks with this universal poem by the world-renowned Iranian poet, Saadi, a piece of poem that is engraved on the carpet donated by Iran to adorn the wall of the United Nations building; the very same Iranian carpet that symbolizes the strategic patience, science, knowledge, art and sgtrength of Iran and all Iranians all over the world:
“Human beings are members of a whole
In the creation of one essence and soul
If one member is afflicted with pain
Other members uneasy will remain
Thank you, Mr. President.