UN Security Council to address US strikes on Iran nuclear sites
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Iran urges UN action after US airstrikes on Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear sites as it calls for an IAEA probe and global condemnation.
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Iran UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani addresses a United Nations Security Council meeting, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting later today, Sunday, at Iran's request, to discuss the United States’ recent attacks on key nuclear sites across the Islamic Republic, according to diplomatic sources cited by Reuters.
The urgent session comes amid heightened tensions following Washington’s targeting of Iran’s main nuclear facilities, including Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Iran has condemned the attacks as a flagrant breach of international law.
In response, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), sent a formal letter to Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urging the agency to launch an immediate investigation into what he described as an "unlawful act of aggression" by the United States.
Eslami stressed that the Islamic Republic strongly protests the US assault on its peaceful nuclear infrastructure, stating that the attacks constitute “a blatant violation of international regulations” and must be met with clear condemnation from the IAEA.
Iran requests emergency UNSC meeting
Iran 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.
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.
US, 'Israel' crossed 'red line'
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States and the Israeli occupation of crossing a “very big red line” by launching coordinated attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, warning that Tehran will respond by “all means necessary.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul, Araghchi said the strikes marked a grave escalation in the war, particularly after US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had bombed three nuclear facilities, including the underground enrichment site at Fordow.
"I still do not have exact information about the level of damage, but I don't think it matters... Last night's attack was a grave crime,” Araghchi said. “The United States has dealt a serious blow to international peace and security.”
The Iranian foreign minister rejected renewed Western appeals for diplomacy, accusing Washington of destroying the talks.
“They have proved that they are not men of diplomacy, and they only understand the language of threat and force,” Araghchi said. “The United States decided to blow up diplomacy.”
