UNITED NATIONS -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sharply criticized European countries for inaction rather than impartiality during the recent U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, telling European Council President António Costa that Europe has forfeited its international role by aligning with Washington.
“We expect European countries to reconsider their approach and preserve their independence. During the recent war, we saw inaction from some countries, but we did not see neutrality,” Pezeshkian said during the meeting on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
He said European countries, by aligning themselves with hostile U.S. actions, have deprived themselves of an effective role in international developments, and said their conduct regarding the 2015 nuclear agreement and the so-called snapback mechanism has further undermined Europe’s ability to play an effective international role.
“The interference of Western governments has affected not only regional security but also global security,” Pezeshkian said. Costa expressed Europe’s keenness to play a role in regional issues.
In a separate meeting with Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Pezeshkian said Iran will resist pressure, threats, and policies based on force, while stressing that disputes should be addressed through dialogue, diplomacy, and the fulfillment of international obligations. 
He said lasting stability and security could not be achieved through coercive and unilateral measures, and stressed the need for all parties to respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to settle disputes through peaceful mechanisms.
Parmelin stressed the importance of continuing dialogue and making use of diplomatic capacities to manage regional crises, saying Switzerland is prepared to cooperate in efforts to reduce tensions and facilitate dialogue.
During all of his meetings, Pezeshkian gifted a copy of a book titled In the Name of Help, which contains documented information on crimes committed by the United States and Israel and photographs of Iranian civilians and infrastructure attacked, as well as images of those martyred in the 12-day and 40-day wars.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi continued intensive diplomatic activity, holding separate talks with his counterparts from Spain, Poland, Jordan, Britain and Ukraine.
In a meeting with British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Araghchi said the European troika — Britain, France and Germany — must be held accountable for failing to take a firm position against the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
“The three European countries must be held accountable for following the US’s illegal measures regarding the snapback mechanism, as well as for failing to take a firm position against the US-Israeli military aggression targeting Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities,” Araghchi said.
He called on Britain and other European governments to revise their “destructive and irresponsible” approaches toward Iran and regional developments, stressing

 that interference in internal affairs and the instrumental use of human rights concepts is unacceptable. 
He criticized continued European military and political support for Israel, saying it has contributed to the escalation of Israeli crimes against Palestinians and others in the region.
On Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, Araghchi stressed Tehran’s readiness to use diplomacy to address issues surrounding its peaceful nuclear activities.
In his meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno, Araghchi stressed the importance of European countries adopting a responsible approach consistent with international law toward aggressive and illegal U.S. actions against Iran. 
He pointed to Israel’s continuing occupation, the genocide of the Palestinian people, and its aggressive expansionism, and underscored the responsibility of all governments to halt these acts of aggression and hold the perpetrators accountable.
With Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Araghchi attributed the prevailing insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz to aggressive U.S. actions and emphasized that all nations, including European ones, must adopt a principled stance to condemn military aggression against Iran. 
He described attempts by certain parties to link the Ukraine conflict to developments in West Asia as highly dangerous.
Araghchi also met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, with discussions covering bilateral issues and the need to prevent any further escalation. Both sides emphasized the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open and pursuing peaceful means to address their differences.
Some 5,000 sorties were flown from European bases in support of U.S. military aggression against Iran, proving that Europe formed part of the infrastructure of that aggression. 
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has repeatedly acknowledged that thousands of U.S. military flights, between 4,000 and 5,000, departed from bases in Europe during the 40-day war on Iran. 
Rutte described Europe as a “platform of power projection” without which Washington could not have conducted the operation. Countries including Italy, Romania, the UK, France and Germany were cited in connection with the use of bases, airspace, tankers and logistics.
In addition to European counterparts, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also met Araghchi who highlighted Iran’s principled stance on respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all regional countries. 
He described as regrettable the use of certain nations’ territories as staging grounds for military aggression by the United States and Israel, and emphasized Iran’s readiness to engage with all regional states to foster trust and cooperation on indigenous security mechanisms.