WANA (Mar 06) – Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations has condemned the “brutal and unlawful aggression” by the United States and Israel, stating that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to exercise its inherent right to self-defense until the aggression ceases.

 

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, made the remarks in a letter addressed to the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, and other senior UN officials on the sixth day of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

 

In the letter, Iravani wrote that Iran “strongly condemns these brutal, unlawful and aggressive actions in the strongest possible terms.” He stressed that Iran will continue to exercise its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and will take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity, people, and vital national interests until the aggression ends.

 

The Iranian diplomat called on the UN Secretary-General and the responsible members of the Security Council to fulfill their obligations under the UN Charter and take the following actions:

 

Condemn the ongoing acts of aggression and violent attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran in clear violation of the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law.

 

Demand that the United States and Israel immediately halt all military aggression against Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and end deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, which constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.

 

Ensure accountability for grave violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes, and crimes against humanity allegedly committed against Iran’s civilian population and infrastructure.

 

Iravani said Iran also urges all UN member states responsible for maintaining international peace and security to clearly and unequivocally condemn the aggression and take immediate collective action to end the violence and bloodshed against the Iranian people, warning that the situation represents an unprecedented threat to regional and international peace and security.

A view of the aftermath of a strike on a police station, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure

In his letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, copies of which were also sent to senior UN officials including the rotating president of the Security Council and heads of relevant UN agencies, Iravani reported that U.S. and Israeli attacks have continued and intensified, targeting civilian areas and infrastructure.

 

He said earlier that day, sports facilities in Tehran were deliberately targeted, including the 12,000-seat Azadi Stadium, causing extensive destruction across the Azadi sports complex and surrounding facilities.

 

In a separate strike, the Ba’sat Sports Complex in Tehran, described as a fully civilian recreational center, was also hit. The complex includes a swimming pool, a multi-purpose sports hall used for shooting practice and fitness training, athletes’ dormitories, facilities for disabled veterans, and a motorcycle racing track.

 

According to the letter, additional missile strikes targeted three sports and recreational complexes operated by the Tehran municipality in the southern part of the city, including:

 

  • Azadegan Water Park
  • Shohada-ye Esmaeili Stadium in District 18
  • Shahid Eskandarlou Sports Hall in District 15

 

The main building of the District 18 municipal office was also struck, causing significant damage to civilian recreational and educational facilities.

 

Strike in Southern Iran

Iravani also reported that a missile struck a sports hall in Lamerd, in Iran’s Fars province, while a group of women’s volleyball players were training inside.

 

According to the letter, more than 18 female athletes were killed and around 100 others injured in the attack.

 

He added that similar attacks on sports facilities in several Iranian cities have killed numerous Iranian athletes, including international competitors and world medalists in sports such as wrestling, judo, and taekwondo.

 

The Iranian envoy stressed that sports facilities and public recreational centers are civilian objects protected under international humanitarian law, and that deliberately targeting them constitutes war crimes.
Civilian Casualties

 

Iravani said the attacks mark the sixth consecutive day of large-scale strikes, which he said began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched attacks across Iranian cities.

 

According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, 1,332 civilians, including women and children, have been killed so far, with the number of casualties continuing to rise.

 

He added that civilian infrastructure — including airports, schools, residential areas, sports facilities, and other public infrastructure — has been deliberately targeted or severely damaged.

A view of debris following an Israeli and U.S. strike on Gandhi Hotel Hospital, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Attack on a School

The ambassador reiterated that on the first day of the attacks, a girls’ primary school in the southern city of Minab, in Hormozgan province, was struck and destroyed.

 

According to the letter, more than 170 schoolgirls were killed, and their bodies were recovered from the rubble after hours of rescue operations.

 

Similar attacks in eastern Tehran and the city of Abyek in Qazvin province reportedly killed additional students.
Attacks on Hospitals and Aid Facilities

 

Iravani also reported that health and humanitarian facilities were targeted on the third day of the attacks, including:

  • Motahari Hospital in Tehran
  • Gandhi Hospital in Tehran
  • Khatam Hospital in Tehran
  • Abuzar Hospital in Ahvaz

 

Buildings belonging to the Iranian Red Crescent Society and three emergency medical bases in Sarab, Chabahar, and Hamadan were also reportedly struck.

 

He said such attacks represent serious violations of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and breach fundamental principles such as distinction, proportionality, and precaution.

 

Attack at Sea

Iravani further accused the United States of carrying out a “dangerous and unlawful act of aggression at sea.”

 

According to the letter, the Iranian naval frigate Dena, which had been deployed to India at the invitation of the Indian Navy, was struck in international waters nearly 2,000 miles from Iran’s coast without prior warning.

 

The vessel reportedly carried around 130 sailors, and 100 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack.

 

Iravani said the strike against a military vessel outside any active conflict zone constitutes a violation of the fundamental rules governing the use of force, the law of the sea, and the principle of freedom of navigation.

 

The Iranian ambassador concluded by again strongly condemning brutal and unlawful acts of aggression and reiterated Iran’s determination to defend its sovereignty and people under international law.