WANA (Jun 15) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has strongly condemned what he described as the “aggressive and barbaric” Israeli attack against Iran, stating that it constitutes a “clear and blatant violation of international law.” Baghaei called on the international community to unite in response to the aggression.

 

Baghaei emphasized that early Friday morning, the Israeli regime launched a “large-scale, unlawful and unprovoked” attack against Iran, describing it as a “flagrant act of aggression by all standards.”

 

According to him, the coordinated assault involved airstrikes, missiles, and drones targeting residential neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure, government officials, and nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

 

“This action is a serious and open breach of international law—particularly international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and the Charter of the United Nations,” Baghaei said.

 

He added that in one “particularly brutal” incident, an Israeli strike on a residential building resulted in the deaths of 60 civilians, including 35 women and children. The latest wave of Israeli military operations, he said, also began targeting industrial and infrastructure sites.

 

He stated that Israel’s pretext for the attack was Iran’s nuclear program, which, as the IAEA has repeatedly confirmed, is strictly for peaceful purposes and remains under the most rigorous and intrusive inspection regime.

 

Targeting safeguarded civilian nuclear facilities, he added, represents a deliberate act of aggression and a stark violation of international law and the legal framework governing nuclear safety and security.

 

Citing IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi’s recent emergency address to the United Nations Security Council, Baghaei noted that IAEA General Conference Resolutions GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533 clearly state that any armed attack on nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes is a violation of the UN Charter, the IAEA Statute, and the core principles of international law. He underscored the resolutions’ warning about the severe risks such attacks pose to nuclear safety and regional and international stability.

 

“The nature of this attack leaves no room for ambiguity: it was an act of aggression in direct violation of international law and clearly crossed a legal threshold,” Baghaei said. He added that Israel has a “long and documented record of unlawful use of force against sovereign states.” Its repeated targeting of civilians, vital infrastructure, and protected sites, he said, reflects a systematic disregard for the UN Charter.

 

“This is not an isolated event; it is part of an ongoing policy that weaponizes force and deliberately undermines the international legal order. The rule of law is not simply being ignored—it is being deliberately dismantled,” he wrote.

 

Baghaei further argued that the broader pattern of Israeli behavior must be recognized. He noted that Israel is currently facing legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over alleged acts of genocide in Gaza, and that senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, face credible accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including deliberate targeting of civilians, use of starvation as a method of warfare, and systematic collective punishment.

 

“These are not isolated incidents. They form part of a sustained policy of military suppression, institutionalized impunity, and contempt for the fundamental tenets of international law, including human rights and humanitarian law,” he said.

 

At a time when the credibility of the international system is under intense scrutiny, Baghaei warned that selective application of legal principles and reliance on political expediency threaten the foundational values of stability, accountability, and the rule of law.

 

He reaffirmed that Iran responded to the Israeli regime’s unlawful and unprovoked aggression by exercising its inherent right to self-defense, as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter.

 

“This fundamental right allows any nation to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the event of an armed attack,” he wrote, emphasizing that Iran’s response was fully consistent with international legal standards and designed to be measured, necessary, and proportionate.

 

Baghaei noted that Iran’s response was specifically calibrated to match the nature of the Israeli military threat and targeted only legitimate military objectives—such as command-and-control centers, strategic military facilities, and operational infrastructure connected to the unlawful assault. He stressed that Iran prioritized minimizing collateral damage and remained fully committed to the principles of international humanitarian law.

 

Criticizing the inaction of the UN Security Council, Baghaei said its failure to respond decisively to this act of aggression represents a dereliction of its core duty to maintain international peace and security.

 

He recalled that after Israel’s 1981 attack on Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor, the Council swiftly and unanimously adopted Resolution 487 condemning the strike and affirming the protection of peaceful nuclear installations.

 

“That precedent remains unambiguous. The law remains clear. Yet today, the Council stands paralyzed, its deliberations stifled by political pressure and the protective shield extended by a small group of powerful states. This paralysis threatens to erode the foundations of the multilateral system,” he warned.

 

In the final part of his op-ed, Baghaei called on the international community to condemn the Israeli aggression and reaffirm its commitment to the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law.

 

“Sovereignty is not negotiable. Nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards must not be targeted. Armed force must never replace diplomacy. The Israeli regime cannot be allowed to rewrite international law through repeated violations and calculated provocations. The path to peace begins with accountability—and the international system must demonstrate the will to uphold it,” he concluded.