Tehran, June 30, 2025 – The Europe Today: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has formally called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to hold Israel and the United States accountable for what he described as their recent “war of aggression” against Iran, urging decisive action to prevent further violations and to uphold international peace and security.
In identical letters sent on Saturday to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and President of the Security Council Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Araqchi denounced what he called “deliberate and unprovoked acts of aggression” by the Israeli regime and the U.S. against Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said the military attacks—which began on June 13 and continued until the ceasefire announced on June 24—caused significant civilian casualties and severe damage to Iran’s infrastructure, including hospitals, relief centers, and multiple International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-safeguarded nuclear facilities in Qom, Arak, Natanz, and Isfahan.
“These acts are a blatant violation of international law, the UN Charter, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and various IAEA documents and resolutions,” Araqchi asserted, emphasizing that the attacks also breached the fundamental principles of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The Iranian Foreign Minister appealed to the Security Council to officially recognize Israel and the United States as the initiators of the aggression, and to hold them accountable, including through reparations and compensation for the damage caused. He further warned that failure to act would seriously undermine the credibility of the UN system and international legal order.
Araqchi’s letter cited multiple violations of international law, including:
- The prohibition on the use of force under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter;
- The right to life under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- The prohibition on aggression as defined by UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (1974);
- The duty of non-intervention and respect for sovereignty; and
- The right to self-determination of the Iranian people.
The letter noted that several regional and international organizations—including the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, the Arab Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)—had strongly condemned the attacks and declared them violations of the UN Charter.
Araqchi emphasized that the Security Council must fulfill its responsibility under Article 24(1) of the UN Charter and determine, under Article 39, the existence of an act of aggression. He also warned that the political and military leaders responsible for ordering such actions bear individual criminal responsibility under customary international law.
“The aggression by the Israeli regime and the United States is a brazen assault on the foundations of international law,” Araqchi stated. “Tolerating such acts will erode the rule of law and foster lawlessness in both regional and global affairs.”
He concluded by requesting the letter be circulated as an official document of both the General Assembly and the Security Council.
