Iran defends lawful self-defense measures against Israeli aggression

In a letter to UN Secretary General António Guterres and President of the UN Security Council Leonor Zalabata Torres on June 12, Iran's UN envoy Saeed Iravani rejected claims made by the Israeli regime in a recent communication to the Council. He hit back at the Israeli regime for attempting to distort facts to justify its unlawful actions against Iran and reaffirmed Tehran’s position that any response by the Islamic Republic has been conducted within the framework of its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Iravani stated that the Israeli regime is the core source of instability in the region and continues to threaten regional and international peace and security. He referenced the genocidal atrocities committed in Gaza, resulting in the killing of more than 73,000 innocent people, in particular women and children, and wounding of over 170,000 civilians. He described the Israeli regime as a rogue regime recognized for committing all the major international crimes with absolute impunity.

The envoy argued that the claims made in the Israeli letter constitute a deliberate attempt to distort facts and mislead the international community. He explained that the actions undertaken by Iran on June 7, 2026, were proportionate lawful acts of self-defense conducted in the context of the Israeli regime's repeated violations of the ceasefire of April 8, 2026, and its continuing wrongful acts against Iran, including direct complicity with the United States in attacks against Iranian vessels, civilian infrastructure, and targets in Iran, as well as acts of maritime piracy. In response, Iran's Armed Forces targeted a number of Israeli military objectives. Iran's response was necessary, proportionate, and directed exclusively at military objectives.

Iravani further noted that the Israeli regime, acting in concert with the United States, launched two unprovoked, unlawful, and large-scale military attacks against Iran in June 2025 and February 2026, in flagrant violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. These attacks deliberately targeted civilian populations and infrastructure, causing casualties and extensive damage. The regime also assassinated six Iranian diplomats in Beirut, conducted attacks against Iranian interests in Lebanon, and continued to threaten Iranian nationals. These violations were on top of other aggressive acts, such as the April 1, 2024, armed attack against Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus.

Iravani emphasized that having initiated and perpetuated unlawful armed attacks, the Israeli regime cannot rely on the right of self-defense to legitimize its wrongful acts. He also dismissed the Israeli regime's invocation of respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, noting that despite the November 2024 ceasefire arrangements, Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire, including repeated violations of Lebanese airspace, military strikes, and occupation of parts of Lebanese territory.

Finally, Iravani warned that any further act of aggression, provocation, or reckless adventurism by the Israeli regime against Iran's sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national interests will be met with a firm, decisive response. Iran remains fully prepared to exercise its inherent right of self-defense against any armed attack, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and international law. The letter was circulated as an official document of the Security Council. According to Mehr News, the letter reaffirms Iran's stance on self-defense.