the UN Security Council meets at UN headquarters in New York City. Photo: AFP
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, in a letter to the 15-member body, said Israel “has now crossed every red line, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished”.
“Iran reaffirms its inherent right to self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter and will respond decisively and proportionately to these unlawful and cowardly acts,” Araghchi wrote, according to Reuters.
Article 51 affirms the right of states to defend themselves against armed attack.
The call for a Security Council meeting comes after coordinated Israeli airstrikes early on Friday targeted military and nuclear sites across Iran, including a uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, and killed senior military and scientific figures.
Among those reported killed were Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientists Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi, according to Iranian state media.
“These outrageous actions represent not only a grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity as a sovereign UN member state, but also constitute acts of aggression and war crimes,” Araghchi said.
A spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces warned that “Israel will pay a heavy price and should expect a strong response from us. That response will definitely come.”
Iran has already launched more than 100 drones towards Israel in retaliation, which Israeli forces said were being intercepted.
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