The UN Secretary General António Guterres today condemned Iran’s missile attack on Israel, telling an emergency Security Council meeting that the “deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must be ended.”
“Time is running out,” he told the Council.
The 15-member council was convened after Israel killed the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and launched a ground operation against the pro-Iran group and Tehran launched an attack on Israel, a blow that raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East .
“I strongly condemn, once again, yesterday’s massive missile attack by Iran against Israel,” Guterres told the Council.
Earlier today, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that it was banning Guterres from entering the country because he did not “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attack on Israel.
In a letter sent yesterday to the Security Council, Iran justified its attack on Israel as a legitimate defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, citing Israel’s “aggressive actions”, among other violations of Iran’s sovereignty.
“Iran… in full compliance with the principle of discrimination under international humanitarian law, targets only the regime’s military and security installations with its defensive missile strikes,” Iran wrote to the Council.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danons today rejected Iran’s claim of self-defense.
“It was a deliberate attack against a civilian population,” he told reporters. “Israel will not stand guard in the face of such aggression. Israel will respond. Our response will be decisive and, yes, it will be painful, but, unlike Iran, we will act in full accordance with international law.”
Source: RES/MPE
