On Wednesday, Iran and Israel each urged the UN Security Council to condemn the other for recent fatal attacks, as the council called for restraint, fearing the region may be heading toward an all-out war.
During an emergency meeting of the council, requested by Iran following the early-morning killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stated, “The Security Council must take swift action to hold Israel accountable for this aggressive act.”
Iravani continued, “This should include considering sanctions and other necessary measures to prevent further violations and to demonstrate that the international community will not tolerate Israeli misconduct.”
Russia proposed that the UNSC adopt a statement condemning the assassination, but the US, UK, and France blocked the proposal, according to Iravani.
“Russia’s proposed statement condemning Israel’s heinous act was blocked by the US, UK and France,” he said at the emergency UN SC meeting.
“It is now absolutely necessary to hold the occupying regime (He meant Israel, although the Jewish State never occupied Iran, not even a little – DI) accountable for the atrocities it committed,” the Iranian envoy continued. “This regime cannot be allowed to escape accountability and consequences for the violations it has committed.”
Following the assassination Ismail Haniyeh who was in Iran for President Pezeshkian’s inauguration, both Iran and Hamas have pointed fingers at Israel, even though Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
In contrast, Israeli officials promptly acknowledged their role in Tuesday’s airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, that resulted in the death of Fouad Shukur, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s second in command. According to Israel, Shukur was behind Saturday’s rocket attack in the Golan that killed 12 Druze children in a soccer field. Hezbollah, however, denies any involvement in this incident.
Israeli Deputy Ambassador Jonathan Miller addressed the council, stating, “This operation conveys a clear message: we will protect ourselves and respond forcefully against those who cause us harm.” Miller urged the council to impose new sanctions on Iran, citing its financial and military support for both Hamas and Hezbollah.
Council members called for restraint, and US envoy Robert Wood said his country was not involved in Haniyeh’s assassination, saying that “we have no independent confirmation as to Hamas’ claims regarding his death.”
“A broader war is neither imminent nor inevitable, although the opportunistic attacks by Iran and its network of terrorist proxies and partners across the region have repeatedly brought us closer to a regional conflict,” US Envoy Wood said, adding that Israel has a right to defend itself.
Finally, on Wednesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was quick to place on the blame on Israel, saying the attacks in Beirut and Tehran “represent a dangerous escalation.” Instead, Guterres said all the efforts must be focused on getting a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip––thus letting Hamas live to fight another day. He also demanded a return to calm on the border between Lebanon and Israel, but neglected to mention that Hezbollah had begun the hostilities on October 8, 2023.
“Rather than that, what we are seeing are efforts to undermine these goals,” he said, pointing to the country whose civilians are being targeted by a ring of fire organized and financed by Tehran.
