Israel lashes out over Iran's UN speech ahead of Geneva talks
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva has strongly objected to Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressing the UN Human Rights Council, just hours before key diplomatic talks with European leaders aimed at calming the Israel-Iran conflict.
In a letter seen by Reuters, Israeli envoy Daniel Meron criticised the council's decision, writing: 'Affording the Iranian foreign minister the floor before this body continues to undermine the council's credibility and constitutes a blatant betrayal of the many victims of this regime worldwide.'
Meron accused Tehran of using the platform to 'promote the regime's despotic campaign,' calling the move a blow to the Council's integrity.
Despite Israel's protest, the Council confirmed Araghchi would speak, followed by talks with the EU's foreign policy chief and officials from the UK, France, and Germany.
Earlier in the week, Iran's UN ambassador described Israel's military strikes as a 'war against humanity.' Israel launched the attacks last Friday, saying it intended to block Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—claims Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
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The National
29 minutes ago
- The National
Shipping unhindered in Strait of Hormuz despite Israel-Iran war risks
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Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel's attack on Iran: What you need to know about Tehran
Millions of residents have left Tehran as Israel continues to attack Iran. Main roads have been clogged with traffic as people try to flee the metropolis. At petrol stations, residents have waited in line for hours to fill their vehicles. Shops, banks and businesses have shut. The authorities have blacked out the internet. Apartment blocks have been left largely empty. And throughout, there is the continued threat of further Israeli bombardments. To date, these have killed at least 639 people and injured 1,329 others, according to the US-based group Human Rights Activists in Iran. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Iranian authorities have not updated figures since earlier this week, when they put fatalities at 224 people. Where in Iran is Tehran? Tehran is located in northern Iran, which has a population of 90 million people and an area larger than that of the UK, France, Germany, and Spain combined. Although there is evidence of settlement in the area for more than 6,000 years, Tehran did not officially became Iran's capital until 1906 following the Constitutional Revolution. To the north and east are the peaks of the Alborz mountains, which overlook the Caspian Sea. Mount Damavand, Iran's highest point at 5,600m, can be seen from the capital. To the south it is mostly arid plains and desert, including the salt basin Namak Lake and, much further to the east, Dasht-e Kavir, known as the Great Salt Desert. The very north of Tehran is at an elevation of 1,700m, while the southern tip is only 1,100m above sea level, meaning temperatures can vary by several degrees Celsius. Iran is prone to earthquakes, although Tehran has not suffered major causalties compared to the rest of the country in recent years. Around 30km to the west of Tehran is Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, which is linked to the capital by the Tehran–Karaj Highway. This week the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Israel had attacked nuclear centrifuge production facilities on the outskirts of Karaj. The city of Qom, home to one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, is 120km south of Tehran. During the current war, the road between the two cities has been attacked by Israel. Many residents of Tehran, including non-Iranians, have fled the capital for the cities of Amol, Babol and Sari, 200km across the mountains and close to the Caspian Sea. How big is Tehran? The capital of Iran may be visited by foreigners less frequently than other major cities in the Middle East and North Africa, it is still a major metropolis. Only Cairo and Istanbul are comparable in size, with metropolitan populations of 23 million people and 16 million respectively. Tehran has a population estimated at 9.5 million people. This increases to 16.8 million when the wider metropolitan area is included. It has an area of more than 700 km2, and has a size and population density similar to New York City. The city dominates life in Iran, and is the economic, political, administrative, commercial, financial and cultural centre of the country. But this key role has made it a target for Israeli attacks since 13 June this year. Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation and the Tehran Research Reactor are located just north of Amirabad district and within residential areas. Central neighbourhoods hit include Kamranieh, as well as Lavizan in the north-east, and nearby Tehran-Pars and Narmak. Who lives in Tehran? Tehran, like the rest of Iran, is a young city, with an average age of 32. The country has the largest number of Shia Muslims globally - making up 90 percent of the population - with most subscribing to the Twelver branch. The city is home to considerable numbers of Kurds and Azerbaijanis. Many people left the city, especially to the West, during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the advent of the Islamic Republic. Others fled during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, when the city was last targeted by air raids. Recent attacks have evoked painful memories for many of Tehran's older residents. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 brought refugees from the east, a number that was later boosted by the US-led military action from 2001 onwards. But many Afghans in Iran have faced discrimination and are frequently deported. What's the layout of Tehran? Tehran has faced many economic and political challenges over the last half century, including the Islamic Revolution, Saddam Hussein's war on Iran, and, more recently, the imposition of sanctions by the US and others. This has meant that Tehran's infrastructure has failed to keep pace with its growth, resulting in gridlocked roads and poor services. The city consists of 22 districts. Like many capitals, it is marked by older, more historic buildings at its centre, including mosques, religious schools and the central bazaar, linked by squares, boulevards and narrow streets. Some, such as the old royal citadel, are now occupied by government offices. More modern neighbourhoods and suburbs, planned on a grid street system, have sprung up in recent decades, especially to the south and west, where they have absorbed smaller towns and communities on the outskirts of Tehran. Infrastructure includes Mehrabad International Airport to the south, which serves domestic flights, but has been hit by Israeli missiles in the past week. The area close to the mountain foothills has traditionally been favoured by the city's wealthy, who appreciate its cooler climate during the summer heat. As the city has expanded over the decades, these districts have become part of Tehran. Land is more expensive here, but the population density is lower and services are better. 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Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Fear and shock as Israelis question motives behind attack on Iran
When a missile landed close to his home in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, on Thursday, Omri was miles away, sheltering at his partner's family house in northern Israel. "Our building is old and has no shelter so we drove to her parents' house, where there's a safe room, but it's frightening every time we leave the house," Omri told Middle East Eye. The city of Ramat Gan and other areas near Tel Aviv have been the site of multiple Iranian retaliatory attacks since Israel started its military campaign on Iran a week ago. On Thursday, Iran launched a barrage of 30 ballistic missiles at Israel, causing extensive damage in the country's centre and south, where a missile struck the Soroka hospital in Beersheba. In Ramat Gan, damage was reported at the Israeli stock exchange building and several nearby offices and residential buildings. More than 200 people were wounded that day, according to local media. "I'm in a condition that a lot of people can envy. I have a safe room, but I wouldn't want to be in this situation for much longer," Omri said New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "I don't think we can stand the current situation much longer." Another resident of Ramat Gan, whose home was struck by a missile, described the scene as similar to "an apocalypse." "I hadn't slept at all for several days, so I didn't wake up when the siren went off," the resident said, speaking to Israeli newspaper Haaretz. "Just before I reached the safe room, the missile struck, and I was hit in the shoulder by the force of the blast." Preserving Netanyahu's rule For many in Israel, the conflict with Iran feels unlike anything they've experienced before. Some are even questioning the motives behind the government's decision to strike Iran. Since last Friday, Israel has hit a long list of targets in Iran, including nuclear facilities, senior military commanders and scientists. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the offensive was aimed at "rolling back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival." As Trump weighs bombing Iran's Fordow, 'mission creep' lurks behind US attack Read More » Speaking of Netanyahu, Elisha, a resident of Tel Aviv, told MEE: "I think we have a supreme leader who's only interested in staying in power. The entire purpose of the attack is to preserve his rule." "The ministers will keep sitting safely in their bunkers while we're just pawns in their game. We're like sitting ducks," he added. Elisha described the daily Iranian missile strikes as "something different" from what Israelis are used to facing. "I'm not afraid for my own life, but for the people close to me," he told MEE. "A few days ago, a missile hit near my parents' house. The whole area was covered in shattered glass, their window was blown out. It's scary." "Life here is a nightmare," he continued. "I guess I'll move abroad. This isn't a place to raise children." When asked whether he feared the continuation of the war, Elisha replied: "I'm afraid of my government. I'm mostly afraid of what they'll do next." 'Very much in shock' In southern Israel, shock and fear gripped Soroka Hospital in Beersheba following the strike, which wounded 60 people. "There's no functioning ward now," a nurse told Israeli media outlet Ynet, referring to the extent of the damage. "When we arrived, there was chaos - people running, shouting. We went straight to the emergency room to see where help was needed. Now the entire hospital is being evacuated to protected areas. The building isn't safe," the nurse said. "We're all very much in shock." 'We have a supreme leader [Netanyahu] who's only interested in staying in power. The entire purpose of the attack is to preserve his rule' - Elisha, Tel Aviv In Holon, part of the Tel Aviv district, a resident said a powerful explosion shook their entire apartment building. "We went outside and saw that an entire four-storey house had been destroyed," the resident told Ynet. At the scene, a 13-year-old girl recalled the moment when the missile struck their home: "We jumped out of bed when the siren went off and ran to the shelter. "When we came out, we saw the house was destroyed. My room was hit the hardest. I just burst into tears." Echoing Elisha's concerns, Omri also shed doubts on the Israeli government's motives and the timing of the offensive on Iran. "There's something big going on here, but at the same time - why now?" he told MEE. "The government, the opposition, and the Knesset are steering us toward an uncertain future - and all this while captives remain in Gaza and soldiers continue to be killed."
