Iran Criticizes UNSC Inaction on Holding Israel Accountable for Its War Crimes

Iran's envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, sharply criticized the UN Security Council during an emergency meeting on Lebanon, accusing Israel and its allies of crimes against civilians in both Lebanon and Gaza.

“Israel has crossed every red line and flagrantly violated international law,” Iravani stated on Thursday.

He emphasized that Israel’s actions, including the deliberate targeting of civilians and destruction of infrastructure, constitute war crimes.

“The deliberate targeting of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure is far more than a violation of international law; it is a flagrant war crime, a crime against humanity, and genocide,” he said.

Iravani went on to say that Israel is causing a deepening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

“It has destroyed vital infrastructure, slaughtered innocent civilians, and driven Lebanon further into an escalating humanitarian catastrophe,” he stated.

He described Israel's campaign as a systematic terror aimed at crippling Lebanon, warning of the risk of a broader regional war.

“The regime has crossed every red line, showing complete disregard for international law,” Iravani added.

Iravani also pointed to the assassination of resistance leaders by Israel, saying these actions were intended to undermine efforts toward a ceasefire.

“We extend our deepest sympathy and unwavering solidarity to the government and people of Lebanon who are enduring relentless acts of aggression and war crimes, by the most notorious terrorist regime in the world,” he said.

Iran, Iravani emphasized, stands firmly with Lebanon and is fully committed to supporting its government, people, and resistance.

He further condemned Israel’s allies, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, for shielding Israel from accountability.

“We strongly condemn the continued complicity of the United States, the United Kingdom, and certain Western states in enabling Israel’s systematic war crimes and genocidal war against the people of Palestine and Lebanon through the provision of advanced weaponry,” he stated.

Iravani urged the Security Council to hold Israel accountable for its actions in both Lebanon and Palestine.

He described Israel’s current campaign in Lebanon as an extension of its long-standing war in Gaza, which he said has left over 200,000 dead or wounded.

“This terrorist regime has now waged a genocidal war, against Lebanon, echoing its brutal campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he said.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 2,141 people have been killed and 10,099 injured in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon since October 2023, including children and women.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled their homes in Beirut to escape the Israeli air raids.

In Gaza, more than 42,000 people have been killed and 97,590 wounded, with most of the casualties being women and children.

Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and humanitarian conditions have rapidly worsened.