RIO DE JANEIRO (Dispatches) -- Iran has strongly condemned the recent military aggression by Israel and the United States against its territory, describing the attacks as a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to regional and global peace.
Speaking at the 17th BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the 12-day wave of “unprovoked military terrorist strikes” by Israel on Iran’s nuclear and civilian infrastructure.
 He underscored that these attacks, which killed and injured thousands of innocent Iranians, were carried out with full support and collaboration from the United States.
“The strikes represent a gross violation of the United Nations Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which protects the peaceful nuclear activities of sovereign nations,” Araghchi said. 
“They constitute an unprecedented assault on the foundation of diplomacy and international law.”
The military aggression began on June 13 when Israel launched targeted assassinations of senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, marking a clear act of aggression. On June 22, the United States escalated its involvement by attacking three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, further breaching the UN Charter and the NPT agreement.
Faced with mounting international condemnation and diplomatic isolation and Iran’s crushing retaliation, Israel declared a unilateral halt to its attacks on June 24, a decision announced by US President Donald Trump.
Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program is strictly peaceful and under the most rigorous monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “No justification, legal or moral, exists for targeting IAEA-supervised nuclear sites based on baseless speculation,” he asserted.
The foreign minister hit out at the United States and certain European states for granting Israel impunity for its repeated crimes in the region. 
“This impunity emboldens the Israeli regime to commit atrocities with no fear of accountability,” Araghchi said. 
He urged the international community, particularly members of the United Nations, to condemn Israel’s aggression firmly and hold its leadership accountable for their violations of human rights and international law.
Araghchi warned that the repercussions of this war of aggression extend far beyond Iran’s borders. “The entire region and beyond will suffer the consequences of these unlawful actions,” he cautioned.
During the summit, Araghchi engaged in high-level talks with several foreign ministers to build a united front against aggression and to seek justice. 
His meeting with Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira resulted in strong condemnation of attacks on Iran’s sovereignty and peaceful nuclear program. Vieira stressed the responsibility of the UN Security Council to maintain international peace and security.
In a discussion with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s resolve to defend itself assertively and hold the aggressors accountable. 
Lavrov underscored the need for strategies to prevent escalation and offered Russia’s support in maintaining regional stability.
Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers jointly called for immediate action to end the genocide in occupied Palestine, holding Israel responsible for its crimes.
The expanded BRICS alliance—which now includes Iran, Egypt, the UAE, and Ethiopia—expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and reiterated support for the so-called two-state solution, despite Iran’s reservations about the effectiveness of this approach.
Araghchi hailed BRICS as a critical voice of the Global South, emphasizing its role in upholding the principles of sovereign equality, non-aggression, and peaceful dispute settlement. He called on the group to take a firm stand against Western hegemony and unilateralism that threaten international order.
The Iranian foreign minister concluded by warning that the aggression by the US and Israel undermines the entire UN-based system of international law, fostering lawlessness and instability. He urged all nations, international organizations, and multilateral institutions to act decisively to end impunity and ensure justice in the region.
Writing on X Monday, Araghchi said, “Iran is grateful for the strong and unequivocal condemnation by BRICS of the recent Israeli and U.S. military aggression. 
“In no uncertain terms, the deliberate attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure and nuclear sites under IAEA safeguards violate both international law and norms, the influential group of countries agree.” 
“Here at the BRICS summit in Rio, where representatives of states making up 40% of global GDP and almost half the world’s population have gathered, the tectonic economic & political shifts our planet is witnessing have never been more apparent. Iran welcomes and is delighted to be part of the dawn of a new era,” he added.