Iran's Araghchi slams 'unjustifiable' Israeli war crimes, strikes
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accuses the Israeli occupation of war crimes at the UN rights council, and begins talks in Geneva with the E3 amid rising tensions over Iran's nuclear program.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to journalists on June 3, 2025, in Beirut, Lebanon (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered an address before the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, condemning what he described as sustained and unlawful Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.
Speaking in Geneva just hours before a critical round of talks with the E3, Araghchi accused the Israeli regime of perpetrating war crimes and violating international humanitarian law.
During his address, Araghchi asserted that Iran had been the target of repeated attacks by "a regime that has carried out genocide in Palestine for two years and continues to occupy neighboring countries." He said the Israeli regime’s latest strikes against Iran constitute a direct breach of Article 2 of the UN Human Rights Council charter.
Araghchi went on to detail a series of alleged Israeli violations, including the assassination of Iranian officials and civilians, and the targeting of public infrastructure and hospitals. He underscored that “Israel” had even struck nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling such actions “grave war crimes.”
“These attacks are unjustifiable under any circumstances,” Araghchi stated, “and any effort to justify them amounts to complicity in the aggression.” He stressed that the Israeli assault on Iran was not only unlawful but also a dangerous violation of international humanitarian law.
Iran, US scheduled to meet on June 15
Araghchi disclosed that Iran had been scheduled to meet with US officials on June 15 to finalize what he described as “a very promising agreement” regarding Iran’s nuclear program. He suggested the Israeli aggression may have been aimed at sabotaging those diplomatic efforts.
“We remain fully committed to defending our territorial integrity and national sovereignty with all necessary force,” he affirmed, adding that Tehran would not be intimidated into abandoning its strategic priorities.
Following the speech, Araghchi arrived at the venue of the European-led negotiations in Geneva. According to an Al Mayadeen correspondent, the E3, comprising France, Germany, and the UK, intends to present a four-point plan that reportedly calls for a complete halt to uranium enrichment in Iran.
Shortly thereafter, talks between Araghchi and the European officials officially began, with both sides expected to assess the future of the nuclear negotiations.
IAEA complicit in Israeli aggression
The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, sent a message today, Thursday, to the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, stressing that the agency must condemn the Israeli aggression against peaceful nuclear facilities.
Eslami added in his message that the Israeli military aggression against the Arak reactor violates the Geneva Conventions, relevant protocols, and the IAEA’s statute
The letter also emphasized that the attack violates the standards set by the UN Scientific Committee on Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Eslami continued, "Today, Israel launched a direct military strike against the Arak heavy water research reactor, a facility under full monitoring and verification by the IAEA."
