Iran’s top diplomat has condemned Israel’s recent strikes on military sites across the Islamic Republic, declaring that Tehran reserves the right to retaliate. The statement came in a letter sent by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General António Guterres and U.N. Security Council President Pascale Christine Baeriswyl.
The letter, delivered by Iran’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Amir Saeid Iravani, followed less than 24 hours after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced “precise and targeted strikes” against multiple military targets in Iran.
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According to Israeli officials, these actions were a response to a recent missile attack by Iran on October 1, which Iran claimed was in retaliation for earlier Israeli operations, including the assassinations of key Iranian figures.
Araghchi urged U.N. officials to denounce what he described as “the Zionist regime’s unlawful and aggressive actions,” calling them a serious breach of Iran’s sovereignty and a violation of international law. He further described the strikes as a “grave threat to international peace and security” that could destabilize the region further.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, in alignment with the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and under international law, reserves its inherent right to legal and legitimate response to these criminal attacks at the appropriate time,” Araghchi stated in the letter.
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Adding to the tensions, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei commented on the strikes, asserting that the Israeli actions must “neither be downplayed nor exaggerated,” according to the official IRNA news agency. The Iranian army reported that four soldiers were killed in the strikes, which the IDF described as “precise strikes on military targets.”
Khamenei criticized Israel for making a “miscalculation” about Iran’s strength and warned that Tehran must “correct” this perception. “They do not know Iran, and they have not yet correctly understood the power, capability, initiative, and will of the Iranian nation. We must make them understand,” he stated.
While the full extent of the damage from the Israeli strikes remains unclear, both sides have portrayed their actions as victories. The IDF stated that the operation targeted missile production facilities and air defense systems in Iran, aiming to weaken Tehran’s capacity to restrict Israeli air operations.
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IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the strikes have given Israel “broader aerial freedom of operation in Iran” and warned of further actions if Iran chooses to retaliate. “We will be obligated to respond,” Hagari emphasized.
In contrast, Iranian officials have downplayed the impact of the strikes. A statement from Iran’s military on Saturday claimed that most Israeli missiles were intercepted, though some sites were hit, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers.
Araghchi, in his letter to the U.N., reiterated this account, emphasizing the success of Iran’s air defense. “If not for the successful performance of Iran’s air defense, the Israeli aggression could have resulted in significant casualties,” he wrote.
He called on the U.N. Secretary-General and the Security Council to take a strong stance against Israel’s actions, urging them to convene an urgent meeting to address what he termed as a “severe violation” and hold Israel accountable.
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This latest exchange marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, a decades-long rivalry that has increasingly turned into direct confrontation. The strikes highlight the heightened tensions in a region already grappling with prolonged instability and conflict, as both nations gear up for potential further confrontations.
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