Envoy: Iran to Hold U.S. Accountable for Any Zionist Aggression

Date: 10 May 2023 - 23:00

News ID: ۱۱۴۹۳۴

UNITED NATIONS (Dispatches) -- Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN has reiterated Tehran’s right to respond to any act of aggression by the occupying regime of Israel against its nuclear program, warning that the Islamic Republic would hold the U.S. to account for explicitly supporting such terrorist acts.
Amir Saeid Iravani made the remarks in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the head of the Security Council, days after U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington would do whatever was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a “nuclear weapon,… including by recognizing Israel’s freedom of action.”
“Without a doubt, this irresponsible, provocative, and belligerent statement violates international law and the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2(4), as it threatens to use force against the peaceful nuclear facilities of a Member State of the United Nations,” Iravani said.
“Such a statement not only implies the United States’ potential complicity in any future acts of terrorism or aggression carried out by the Israeli regime against Iran, including against its peaceful nuclear facilities, but it also serves as an admission of responsibility by the US for its role in assisting, facilitating, and supporting Israel’s terrorist and sabotage operations against Iranian officials, scientists, civilians, and peaceful nuclear facilities, thus requiring the United States to bear the consequences of such internationally wrongful acts.”
The envoy said the assertion that

the U.S. will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons is “a distortion of reality and another cynical attempt” to advance the American political agenda, urging Washington to stop “propagating false allegations and misinformation” about Tehran’s nuclear activities.
“Iran reiterates the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and adherence to international obligations. The Islamic Republic has always maintained that its pursuit of nuclear technology is exclusively for peaceful purposes, and it has never sought, nor will it ever seek, to develop nuclear weapons,” he said.
“This is a firm and unwavering decision of the government and … any claim to the contrary is completely unfounded and invalid,” he added.
Iravani further stressed Iran’s right to defend itself against any attack on its nuclear facilities.
“Iran warns against any possible miscalculation or adventurist acts against its peaceful nuclear program and reserves its inherent and legitimate right under international law to take all necessary measures to protect and defend its citizens, interests, installations, and sovereignty against any aggression, including any terrorist, military, or sabotage acts,” he said.
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Friday that the United States would be blamed for all of the Tel Aviv regime’s acts of terror targeting the Iranian nuclear facilities and the people working for the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani also responded to Sullivan’s remarks, saying they were not compatible with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s 15 reports which confirmed Iran’s adherence to its nuclear commitments.
“Unfortunately, the U.S. government, directly and indirectly, bears the responsibility for the destructive measures of the Zionist regime in the region, especially in connection with Iran,” he asserted.
“Iran’s nuclear activities are peaceful and we are a member of the IAEA and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)… We do not accept baseless claims about Iran’s nuclear activities. Iran will not tolerate any aggression against its interests, security and assets and will deliver a decisive and regret-inducing response.”