Iran’s UN envoy accuses US and Israel of ‘war crimes’, says response is ‘lawful and necessary'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Iran has accused United States and Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the week-long military campaign.

The Iranian Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that the ongoing aggression is deliberately targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

Iran presses allegations of deliberate civilian targeting

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ambassador Iravani condemned the scale of the military operations that began on February 28.

He argued that the attacks are not restricted to military assets but are instead focused on harming the Iranian population. 

“The United States and Israeli regime continue their brutal and massive attack against Iran and the Iranian people, unabated and without pause. These attacks are indiscriminate. They deliberately target civilians and civilian infrastructure across my country,” Iravani said.

The ambassador highlighted the use of heavy weaponry in urban centers, noting that the destruction is intended to cause widespread fear.

He stated, “Yesterday, the United States Secretary of War openly admitted that the United States is using 500, 1,000 and 2,000-pound bombs with massive destructive power against Iranian cities. They are dropping 2,000-pound bombs in densely populated civilian areas.”

He further asserted that the goal of these strikes is “to terrorize civilians, massacre innocent people, and cause maximum destruction and suffering.”

Iran rejects claims of military-only objectives

Iravani dismissed statements from the US and Israel suggesting that the strikes are precise and limited to military targets.

He called these justifications “a lie and baseless,” insisting that the reality on the ground tells a different story.

“We continue to exercise our inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations until this aggression and these barbaric attacks stop,” Iravani explained.

He added that Iran’s response is “lawful, necessary, and proportionate,” while emphasizing that, unlike its adversaries, “Iran targets only the military objectives of the aggressors. We don't target civilians. We don't target the interests of neighboring states.”

Iran rejects foreign interference in internal affairs

Furthermore, the ambassador addressed political statements regarding the future of Iran’s leadership.

He criticized President Trump’s suggestion that the US should have a role in choosing a new leader for the country.

Iravani argued that such comments are a “clear violation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”

Iravani concluded by making it clear that Iran would not permit outside forces to dictate its political path.

He stated that Iran “does not accept and will never allow any foreign power to interfere in its internal affairs.”

While he noted that Iran does not seek a wider war or further escalation, he warned that the nation “will take all necessary measures to defend our people, our territory and our independence.”