Iran UN Envoy "Iran Has Never Initiated a War against Israel"

In a letter to the Periodic Chairman of the Security Council and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iravani rejected the unsubstantiated claims and improper references against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the letter dated April 8, 2024, by the representative of the Israeli regime in the United Nations addressed to the Secretary General and the President of the Security Council (S/2024).

The most senior diplomat of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the United Nations stated that the claim of the mentioned letter is baseless and is merely a desperate attempt by the Israeli regime to divert international attention from the heinous crimes and acts of genocide committed by this apartheid regime against the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip.

The full text of Iravani's letter is as follows:

In the name of God, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful                      
Excellency,

I reject the unsubstantiated allegation and unwarranted references made against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the letter dated 8 April 2024 from the representative of the Israeli regime to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2024/299).

The allegation in the letter is unfounded and merely a cynical attempt by the Israeli regime to divert international attention away from the ongoing heinous atrocities and acts of genocide perpetrated by this apartheid regime against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

It is also a misleading effort aimed at covering up and legitimizing Israel’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon and its continual breaches of international law, the United Nations Charter, and UNSC Resolutions 1559 (2004) and 1701 (2006).

 Similarly, the accusations in the letter dated 13 April 2024 from the representative of the Israeli regime to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2024/304) are entirely baseless and are categorically rejected.

As emphasized in our letter dated 13 April 2024 (S/2024/305), the action taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran on 13 April 2024 was in the exercise of its inherent right to self-defense as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on 1 April 2024 against Iranian diplomatic premises, in defiance of Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations.

I wish to stress that Iran has never initiated a war against Israel and has no intention of doing so in the future.

However, Iran reserves its inherent right under international law to respond to any use of force or acts of aggression against its sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, and national interests.

I should be grateful if you would circulate the present letter as a document of the Security Council.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.