The deadly cycle of violence based on an eye for an eye must be ended in the Middle East, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared in the Security Council (SC) of the world organization on Wednesday. He added that “we are running out of time” and condemned Iran’s missile strike against Israel.
The world body’s 15-member governing body met after Israel killed the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah in an airstrike in Beirut, followed by a limited ground operation against Iranian-backed militias in Lebanon, and Tehran responded with a massive missile attack on Israeli territory on Tuesday, raising concerns that the current conflict could spill over into a full-scale war in the Middle East.
“I strongly condemn Iran’s massive missile attack on Israel yesterday”
– underlined Guterres, who was declared an undesirable person by the Jewish state not long ago, because he did not “unequivocally” condemn what happened.
Representatives of several countries, such as Great Britain, France, Russia, South Korea, Slovenia and Guyana, stood up for Guterres in the UN Security Council. According to Algerian UN Ambassador Amar Benjama, Israel’s decision to declare Guterres a persona non grata “shows clear contempt for the UN system and the entire international community”.
Israel has declared the UN Secretary General persona non grata
At the meeting, Dani Danon, Israel’s UN ambassador, urged the immediate imposition of “crippling sanctions” against Iran, saying that the international community must act and that Tehran must pay a high price, as anything else would be complicity.
He stated that Iran will face far greater consequences for its actions than it can imagine.
Iran’s UN ambassador to the Security Council said the missile attack was a necessary and proportionate response to Israel’s aggressive actions over the past two months.
At the same time, he emphasized that Iran’s response was necessary to “restore the balance of deterrence” and warned Israel that any aggression would have consequences.
He stated that the only way to avoid an escalation of the situation is for Israel to end its war in the Gaza Strip and stop its attacks on Lebanon.
The Iranian president stated that they do not want war, but in case of Israeli retaliation, they will give a stronger response
In the letter sent to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, the Iranian government tried to justify its attack on Israel with self-defense according to Article 51 of the constitution of the world organization, saying that Israel is also carrying out “aggressive actions” against Iran’s sovereignty.
“Iran, (…) in full accordance with the principle of discrimination under international humanitarian law, only attacked the regime’s military and security facilities with its defensive missile strike,” the letter stated.
Danon previously rejected Tehran’s claim of self-defense. “This was a deliberate attack on the civilian population,” he declared. “Israel will not tolerate such aggression. Israel will respond. Our response will be firm, and yes, it will be painful, but – unlike Iran – we will act in accordance with international law,” the ambassador added.
Iran attacked Israel, Israel promises a response Israel is preparing to retaliate against Iran, the UN Security Council holds an extraordinary meeting
Source: nepszava.hu
