WANA (Mar 22) – Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has warned that the United States would bear full international responsibility for any consequences arising from threats to target Iran’s energy infrastructure.

 

In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the United Nations Security Council, and the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Iravani condemned what he described as an explicit and unlawful threat by the U.S. president to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran.

 

According to the letter, the U.S. president stated in a public social media post on March 21, 2026, that if Iran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the United States would target and destroy Iranian power plants, “starting with the largest.”

 

Iravani stressed that deliberate attacks on electricity generation facilities—primarily civilian in nature and essential for the survival of the population—would constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law, including the principles enshrined in the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols.

 

He warned that such actions would be inherently indiscriminate and disproportionate, given their foreseeable and long-term impact on civilians, including disruptions to healthcare, water supply, sanitation, and food security.

 

The letter further stated that such attacks could qualify as war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, including the intentional targeting of civilian objects.

 

The Iranian envoy argued that responsibility for such acts would extend not only to those who carry them out, but also to those who order or incite them.

 

He described the U.S. president’s public and unambiguous threat as clear evidence of intent, raising serious concerns about premeditation and increasing the legal responsibility of the United States.

 

Iravani called on the Security Council to unequivocally condemn the threat, warn the United States of the serious consequences of any unlawful action, and ensure compliance with obligations under the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law.

 

He also reiterated Iran’s inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and affirmed that Tehran reserves the right to take all necessary and proportionate measures to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests.

 

The ambassador requested that the letter be circulated as an official document of the Security Council.