Iran-Israel, UN Security Council meeting. Guterres: “Middle East on the brink”

Tension continues to rise in the Middle East, especially after the attack launched by Iran on Israel on Saturday night (LIVE UPDATES). In the evening there was an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. It was called by Malta, the rotating president of the Security Council. “The Middle East is on the brink. Now is the time for de-escalation, for maximum restraint and for taking a step back from the abyss,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the meeting, condemning the attack. of Iran but criticizing Israel. “In the coming days we will discuss with our partners new punitive measures to hold Iran accountable in accordance with Security Council resolutions and for now we want condemnation of Iran’s attack on Israel,” the US ambassador said instead. at the UN Robert Wood, alluding to the possibility of presenting a draft resolution with new sanctions against Tehran. “The US does not want an escalation, but the best way to avoid it is to condemn Iran’s reckless actions,” he added. British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward also warned that Iran’s actions pose a “grave risk” of escalation in the region and Tehran is playing an “unacceptable” role in destabilizing the region. “With this attack Iran has once again demonstrated its intent to unleash chaos in the region and the UK will continue to defend the security of Israel as well as that of Jordan and Iraq,” he added, warning however that “no-one wants see more bloodshed.”

Guterres’ words

“The Middle East is on the brink. The population is facing the real danger of a devastating large-scale conflict. Now is the time for de-escalation, for maximum restraint and for stepping back from the brink,” Guterres told the meeting. “We have a shared responsibility to actively engage all stakeholders to prevent further escalation. Neither the region nor the world can afford other wars”, he added. The UN Secretary General then reiterated his “firm condemnation of the serious escalation represented by Iran’s attack on Israel”, reminding all member countries that the UN Charter “prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state”. “The principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular offices also applies and the staff must be respected”, however, added Guterres, recalling the “condemnation” of the Israeli attack on April 1st on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The UN secretary general then underlined that “it is essential to avoid any action that could lead to major military clashes on multiple fronts in the Middle East. Civilians are already bearing the brunt and paying the highest price”. Thus, he warned that “peace and security regionally, and indeed globally, are being undermined by the hour.”

Israel’s request

It was Israel that called for the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. “I confirm Israel’s call to convene a Security Council immediately to unequivocally condemn Iran for its grave violations,” said Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the UN. “The Iranian regime is no different from the Third Reich and ‘Ayatollah Ali Khamanei is no different from Hitler,’ said the ambassador who called for ‘all possible sanctions’ against Iran. ‘Last night’s unprecedented escalation shows what happens when warnings are not heeded,’ he continued. – The fact that Israel showed itself superior yesterday does not take away the brutality of the attack.”

The letter from Iran

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Saed Iravani, also sent a letter to the presidency of the UN Security Council and to Secretary General Antonio Guterres, arguing that the attack against Israel “is part of Tehran’s exercise of its right to self-defense, enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, and in response to recurrent Israeli military aggression and in particular after the “April 1st raid” against the Damascus consulate. “Unfortunately – we read in the letter – the Security Council has failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security, allowing the Israeli regime to cross red lines and violate the fundamental principles of international law”. “Such violations – continues Iran’s letter – have exacerbated tensions in the region and threatened regional and international peace and security. If the Israeli regime were to commit military aggression again, Iran’s response will certainly be stronger and more resolute.” Ambassador Saed Iravani then reiterated that Iran has appealed to Israel not to react to its direct attack by drones and missiles: “The issue can be considered closed like this. But if the Israeli regime commits a new mistake, the response will be considerably harder.”

see also

War in the Middle East, Iran’s attack on Israel: what happened

What is the UN Security Council

The UN Security Council is the executive body of the United Nations responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It is made up of five permanent members with veto power – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China – and ten members elected for two-year terms. At the moment, the non-permanent member countries are: Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland, Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia.

see also

Israel-Iran, Gantz: “We will demand a price at the right time”