Iran Has No Proxies in Region: UN Envoy

In a letter to President of the UN Security Council Pedro Comissario Afonso and UNSecretary General Antonio Guterres on May 7, Saeed Iravani categorically rejected the allegations that the representative of the Israeli regime has made against Iran.

He said the Israeli envoy has “resorted once more to lies and misinformation to make unfounded accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Contrary to unfounded claims, Iran has consistently upheld international law, adhered to the principles of the UN Charter, and complied with UN Security Council resolutions. Moreover, Iran has played an active role in promoting international peace and security through its constructive involvement across multiple spheres,” Iravani said.

“Iran made a clear position that the action taken on 13 April 2024 was conducted directly and officially from Iran in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on 1 April 2024 against Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic. Iran’s action was necessary, legitimate, and fully in line with its inherent right to self-defense under the UN Charter. The action only targeted military objectives and was carried out carefully and with prior notification to prevent civilian harm. I wish to emphasize that no resistance groups were involved in Iran's legitimate action and any assertions to the contrary are rejected,” the envoy added.

“In contrast to Israel's assertions, Iran does not have proxies in the region, and no individual, group, or nation operates under Iran's directive. Additionally, resistance groups are not proxies; they are legitimate groups and their actions are lawful, and engaged only in fighting against Israeli occupation and aggression in Gaza and other occupied territories in Palestine, as well as against occupied forces in other nations in the region. Therefore, Israel's attempt to label them as ‘proxies’ is only to obscure and justify its own acts of aggression and destabilizing actions in the region,” he stated.

“It is indisputable that the Israeli regime, characterized by a long history and record of blatant violations of international law, the UN Charter, and UNSC resolutions, remains the primary and longstanding threat to international peace and security. Any cynical attempt by this regime to obscure this reality through disinformation, smear campaigns, or unsubstantiated accusations against others is both futile and groundless. The Israeli regime cannot deny its direct and full responsibility for the ongoing massacre and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza in defiance of UNSC resolutions. An obvious example of the Israeli regime's persistent disregard for UNSC resolutions is exemplified in the Security Council’s resolution 2728 (2024), which urgently demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Despite clear demands from the Security Council, the occupying regime persists in its ruthless warfare against the Palestinian people and its military attacks in Rafah in blatant contempt for the Security Council's demands,” the Iranian ambassador said.

“The occupying regime must finally bear full responsibility for the consequences of its actions and the Security Council must address Israel's persistent destabilizing and irresponsible actions, as well as its atrocities against the Palestinian people and other nations in the region. These actions pose a genuine threat to both regional and international peace and security, demanding immediate attention and decisive action from the Security Council,” he added.