Iran UN envoy slams 'Israel's' 'egregious disregard for civilian life'
4 Min Read
"Israel" has targeted two Iranian physicians in Lebanon as part of its ongoing aggression, violating international law.
-
Iran's UN Ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, in the United Nations Security Council chamber during an emergency meeting at UN headquarters, on Sunday, April 14, 2024. (AP)
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations strongly firmly denounced the Israeli attacks against Iranian nationals in Lebanon as a violation of not only Lebanon's sovereignty but also international law.
Addressing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council, Amir Saeid Iravani detailed the assassination of an Iranian mother and her Lebanese husband in the Lebanese town of Jounieh.
On October 19, an Israeli strike targeted the vehicle Ms. Masoumeh Karbasi, an Iranian physician and mother of five, and her husband, a Lebanese citizen, in Jounieh. After the first strike missed, both Ms. Karbasi and her husband left the car and hurried to a field, away from the highway and civilians, only to be targeted with another strike, leading to their martyrdom.
"This brutal attack, captured on surveillance cameras and broadcasted across media outlets, reveals the egregious disregard for civilian life and international legal norms," Iravani said.
Woman, life, freedom means:
— Negar (@negar_mo59) October 23, 2024
🇮🇷 Masoume Karbasi, the first #Iranian female martyr in #Lebanon
And his 5 children became orphans💔#GazaGenocide pic.twitter.com/ZnCcHPdou2
Furthermore, on October 22, Iranian physician Dr. Ali Heidari was also martyred in a deliberate Israeli airstrike, according to Iravani, in Beirut while carrying out his humanitarian duty and relief work. "Dr. Heidari was performing life-saving duties, providing critical medical care to the wounded and assisting those in dire need," he said.
"His assassination is not only a despicable act of violence but also a blatant violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which expressly prohibit attacks on hospitals and medical personnel. This constitutes a war crime under international law," he further asserted.
Iravani called on the UNSC to hold the Israeli occupation responsible for its attacks and assassinations against Iranian nationals, stressing that it must be held accountable for its ongoing violations of the UN Charter and international law.
Iran to respond decisively to any hostile Israeli action: Tehran
This comes amid a series of Israeli violations against Iran's sovereignty, the latest being the threat of an attack on Iranian soil, following Operation True Promise 2.
Iran has clearly conveyed in discussions with UN officials and other involved parties that its operations against "Israel", carried out in April and October this year, were fully within the Islamic Republic’s right to self-defense and were direct responses to the Israeli regime's actions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday.
During his weekly press briefing in Tehran, Baghaei underscored that Iran remains committed to countering Israeli aggression by utilizing all available means, with a particular focus on the strength of its security and military forces.
When asked about the leaked reports about the Israeli bank of targets in Iran, Baghaei declined to comment directly but reiterated that “what is certain is that Iran will respond decisively to any hostile actions by the Zionist regime.”
The Iranian spokesperson confirmed that, in response to Israeli threats against Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran has submitted a formal letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and will continue to address the matter through various channels.
Touching on the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon, the Iranian spokesperson affirmed that Tehran has intensified its diplomatic efforts in recent weeks to prevent further bloodshed by "Israel" and to stop the spread of war to other parts of the region.
He recalled that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently embarked on a regional tour, starting with Lebanon, as part of these diplomatic endeavors. In addition to the tour, Araghchi held phone discussions with regional and international officials to pursue Iran’s efforts to de-escalate tensions.
According to Baghaei, the top Iranian diplomat engaged in “good negotiations” aimed at curbing the escalation of violence, while reinforcing Iran’s message of commitment to fostering and improving relations with its neighbors.
