Iran's ‘proportionate response' will be set by military, envoy tells UN
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, condemned the United States' involvement in its conflict with Israel, and said the nation's military would determine its response after President Trump on Saturday ordered the bombing of three of Iran's nuclear sites.
'The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly warned the warmongering US regime to refrain from stumbling into this quagmire, even though Iran reserves its full and legitimate right under international law to defend itself against this blatant US aggression and its Israeli proxy,' he said at the United Nations. 'The timing, nature and the scale of Iran's proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces.'
The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on the escalating war on Sunday afternoon. Iran, the U.S. and Israel were among the nations that spoke to the attack during the meeting.
Iravani described the action as the U.S. helping Israel carry out its 'vile agenda.'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump on Saturday for directing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
'President Trump and I often say, 'Peace through strength.' First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength,' Netanyahu said in a video on the social platform X.
Iravani said the Israeli president had hijacked 'U.S. foreign policy, dragging the United States into yet another costly, baseless war.'
Dorothy Shea, the interim U.S. ambassador to the U.N., spoke ahead of Iravani, and defended Trump's actions.
'Iran has long obfuscated its nuclear weapons program and stonewalled good faith efforts in recent negotiations, Madam President, the time finally came for the United States in the defense of its ally and in the defense of our own citizens and interest, to act decisively,' she said in explaining Saturday's bombing.
Shea told the council that Iran, for decades, 'has been responsible for misery and countless deaths across the Middle East. Iran's government and its proxies have also killed numerous Americans, including American service members in Iraq and Afghanistan.'
She accused Iranian officials of ramping up 'hostile bluster and rhetoric' over recent weeks.
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