Iran’s FM Condemns Israeli Aggression in UN Human Rights Council Address
Iran FM Araghchi told the UN that Israel's attacks are war crimes, violating the UN Charter and Geneva Conventions. He urged global action to stop the “unjust war” on Iran, warning that continued aggression would corrode the international legal order.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In an address to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi delivered a wide-ranging condemnation of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, accusing the country of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"Mister President, distinguished delegates, I am Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, foreign minister of Iran, a peace-loving nation inheriting one of the most ancient civilizations that has made significant contribution to human civilization, culture, and ethics. Now this nation of nearly 100,000,000 population is subject to an outrageous act of aggression by a regime that has been committing a horrible genocide in Palestine for the past two years, and that is occupying the lands of neighboring countries," Araghchi began.
Addressing the 47-member council, Araghchi emphasized what he described as the international community’s legal and ethical responsibility: “Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before this August body to remind you of the legal and ethical responsibility each and every state member and observer of the Human Rights Council has to stand up against this grave injustice.”
He accused Israel of initiating an “unprovoked aggression” against Iran in “a stark violation of article two paragraph four of the [UN] charter and in bold defiance of all the principles and rules that this council stands for.”
“This is an unjust war imposed on my people since early hours of Friday thirteen June, when Israel perpetrated a mix of unlawful and criminal operations against off duty military personnel, university professors, and ordinary people,” he said.
Araghchi reported that “hundreds of my fellow Iranians have been killed and injured following Israel's surprise armed attacks and terrorist operations on residential areas, public infrastructures, hospitals, health centers, and, of course, the foreign ministry.”
He strongly criticized Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure: “Our peaceful nuclear facilities have also been targeted despite their being under full monitoring of IAEA and despite the fact that attacking such facilities are absolutely banned under international law.”
“Israel attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes, given also the danger of environmental and health catastrophe as a result of radiological leakage,” he added.
Araghchi appealed to the foundational principles of the United Nations and international law: “Iran, a founding member of the United Nations system, rightfully expects each and every one of you to stand for justice, rule of law, and basic tenants of humanity and ethics. Iran is under a merciless act of aggression. This is crystal clear fact, must not be allowed to be twisted upside down by Israel and its backers.”
He warned that “Israel aggression on Iran cannot and must not be justified by any legal or moral standards. Any justification for this unjust and criminal war would be tantamount to complicity.”
Reaffirming Iran’s right to self-defense, Araghchi declared: “Iran is defending itself against the barbaric aggression. We are entitled, tasked, and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and security with all force. This is our inherent right as also clearly recognized under article 51 of charter.”
The foreign minister accused Israel of further undermining international humanitarian law. “International humanitarian law already badly undermined as a consequence of Israel's relentless atrocities in occupied Palestine and elsewhere is now under another extremely serious danger as Israel is committing grave violations of 1949 Geneva Conventions.”
He called upon the host nation of the Geneva Conventions to uphold its responsibilities: “Switzerland is the custodian of Geneva conventions and protocols on IHL and has an important responsibility in this regard. Indeed, every state party to 1949 convention shall shoulder their responsibility under these conventions, in particular, common articles one and three of these conventions.”
Araghchi revealed that the Israeli attacks occurred amid a diplomatic breakthrough: “We were attacked in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process. We were supposed to meet with Americans on June 15 to craft a very promising agreement for peaceful resolution of the issues fabricated over our peaceful nuclear program.”
“It was a betrayal of diplomacy and an unprecedented blow to the foundation of international law and UN system,” he declared. “Let me be clear. If there is any use of costly systems and mechanisms we have created for the past eighty decades to preserve human rights and dignity, now is the time to do it. We need action now. Otherwise, the whole UN based international law system would corrode badly.”
In a final emotional appeal, he said: “This is a historic moment for human civilization when a civilized nation has come under an unjust war of aggression. The world, every state, every UN mechanism and body has to be alarmed and has to act now to stop the aggressor, to end impunity, and to hold the criminals accountable for their unending atrocities and crimes in our region.”
He concluded with a personal note: “This is a call from someone who has allocated his whole life to dialogue and diplomacy, but who also is a veteran of an imposed war by Saddam regime and knows how to defend his beloved motherland. Thank you so much.”
The session in Geneva marked a significant diplomatic moment as Iran seeks to rally international opinion and legal pressure against Israel in the wake of an intensifying conflict.
