Iran to UN: Strikes done in self-defense, third parties are warned

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Jun 2025 21:41

Iran informed the UN that its strikes on "Israel" were lawful self-defense targeting military sites, warning that any third-party support for Israeli attacks would carry legal consequences.

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Demonstrators wave Iranian flags and hold posters of the late Iranian Revolution Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in front of a model of Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock mosque during a rally marking the Muslim Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP)

Iran has formally informed the United Nations Security Council that its recent missile strikes on "Israel" were carried out in self-defense, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. In its official communication, Tehran stressed that the military response was proportionate and aimed solely at Israeli military objectives and related infrastructure.

This declaration follows Iran's overnight retaliation, Operation True Promise 3, which saw dozens of missiles and drones penetrate deep into Israeli territory, striking at least four neighborhoods in Tel Aviv. According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, the barrage caused significant damage to dozens of buildings, sparking fires and displacing large numbers of settlers.

In its statement to the UN, Iran further warned that any third-party states cooperating militarily with "Israel" in its ongoing attacks would be held legally complicit and subject to the consequences of the regional escalation. This warning appears directed at the United States, whose involvement has been central to the current crisis.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Washington of playing a "direct role" in the Israeli aggression. Quoting US envoy Steve Witkoff, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, "Israel cannot do anything without Washington's permission," asserting that Tel Aviv's actions had the overt backing of the United States.

Reports from Axios and other sources confirmed that the Israeli assault on Iran was the result of months of covert planning with the Trump administration's approval. One senior Israeli official admitted, "We had a clear US green light."

Despite this, US President Donald Trump publicly denied involvement, writing on Truth Social, "The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight." However, in a separate interview with ABC News, he conceded that "Israel used great American equipment" and suggested the United States "could get involved" if necessary, remarks viewed in Tehran as confirmation of US complicity.

As tensions mount, Iranian officials have declared that nuclear negotiations are now "unjustifiable" under the current conditions. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate, condemning the Israeli strikes as "provocative" and calling for a diplomatic resolution to prevent broader regional destabilization.