Iran demands urgent UN Security Council session over US airstrikes

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Jun 2025 08:17
2 Shares

Tehran urges the UN to act after what it called illegal US airstrikes on safeguarded nuclear sites, condemning Washington’s escalation and defending its sovereignty.

Listen

Iran UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani addresses a United Nations Security Council meeting, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)

Iran has formally requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to recent US airstrikes targeting three of its nuclear facilities. In twin letters sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Council's current president, Iran's mission to the United Nations described the strikes as a serious breach of international law and a direct threat to regional and global stability.

It called for “the strongest possible condemnation” and immediate action to ensure accountability, characterizing the attacks as deliberate and illegal. The letters, referencing earlier communications dated June 13 through 20, warned of “dangerous escalation” resulting from what Iran described as Washington’s unlawful use of force.

US accused of coordinated assault with Israeli occupation

According to the mission's statement, the airstrikes occurred in the early hours of June 21 and were carried out in coordination with "Israel", which had launched simultaneous attacks on Iranian civilians and infrastructure. The targeted sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, are all part of Iran’s safeguarded nuclear program.

Tehran emphasized that the facilities remain under active monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reiterating their civilian purpose. It further criticized US President Donald Trump for publicly claiming responsibility for the operation, both in an official briefing and via social media, framing it as a deliberate provocation in violation of international norms.

Tehran cites multiple violations of international law

The mission's letter cited a range of international agreements and resolutions violated by the US strikes, including Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, the IAEA Statute, and UN Security Council Resolutions 487 and 2231. The Islamic Republic also referenced the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), accusing the United States and "Israel" of undermining non-proliferation commitments while evading accountability for repeated attacks on nuclear infrastructure.

Tehran noted that, unlike Iran, "Israel" is not a signatory to the NPT and possesses undeclared nuclear capabilities. It argued that this asymmetry, paired with US support, represents a threat to global security and the integrity of international nuclear governance.

Iran urges swift UN action

Iran has called on the UN Security Council to convene without delay, urging member states to unequivocally condemn the US airstrikes, take concrete steps to hold those responsible accountable, and ensure that such acts, described by Tehran as aggression and war crimes, do not go unpunished.

“The perpetrators of these egregious acts must not go unpunished,” Iran’s UN mission stated, characterizing the strikes as a “calculated escalation” aligned with the earlier June 13 attack carried out by the Israeli occupation.

This comes shortly after US President Donald Trump announced, in a post in Truth Social, on Sunday at dawn, that the United States carried out what he described as a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.