Irresponsible to blame Iran while failing to hold aggressors accountable, says Tehran on UN stance

Iran rejected the UN's characterisation of regional hostilities, defending strikes on US bases as lawful self-defence against US-Israeli aggression. Tehran urged Gulf states to stop supporting US operations, while the UN called for restraint, de-escalation, and renewed diplomatic negotiations

Tehran: Iran has condemned the statement by the United Nations on the military escalations in the region, framing recent Iranian strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait as lawful self-defence rather than aggression, citing US-Israel attacks starting February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Tehran accused the US of using Gulf states’ territories as launchpads, asking the UN to urge those countries to halt support and hold aggressors accountable under international law.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei also insisted on using the term “Persian Gulf” per longstanding UN directives from 1994 and 1999. In a post on X, Baqaei said, “This is not a ‘military confrontation’. It is the continuation of a blatant and unprovoked act of aggression initiated on 28 February by the United States and Israel. Iran does not ‘attack’. Iran’s strikes on US military bases and assets stationed in the southern Persian Gulf constitute a legitimate and lawful exercise of its inherent right to self-defence under international law.” “You should urge the countries in question to immediately cease allowing the United States to use their territories as launchpads for aggression against Iran. It is far from responsible to blame Iran for defending its sovereignty while failing to hold the aggressors accountable for their egregious violation of international law,” he said.

Citing the UN directives of 1994 and 1999, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “BTW, it is ‘Persian Gulf’; please be loyal to the UN directives (notably on 18 August 1994, and 14 May 1999) mandating the use of the full term ‘Persian Gulf’ in all UN texts.”

This came as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the escalation and renewed military confrontations in the Gulf region, including the “Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the attacks by the United States on Iran, and the attacks by Iran on targets in the neighbouring countries”.

The UN chief “calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid further escalatory action and take immediate steps to de-escalate,” his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement.

“These attacks must all stop,” the statement said, adding, “The Secretary-General urges Iran and the United States to urgently resume negotiations and to address outstanding issues through diplomacy.”