WANA (Mar 10) – Ali Bahreini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, on Tuesday condemned recent attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, describing them as an unlawful and unjustifiable act of aggression against Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and people.

 

Speaking at a meeting of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament, Bahreini said that on February 28, the United States and Israel carried out what he called an illegal and unjustified attack on Iran that resulted in the killing of Iran’s supreme national and religious leader. He stated that with this action, Washington and Tel Aviv had crossed another major red line.

 

The Iranian envoy stressed that the attacks constituted a clear violation of fundamental principles of international law, including Articles 2(3) and 2(4) of the United Nations Charter and the peremptory norm prohibiting the use of force.

 

Bahreini also said Israel’s “war-driven policies” had drawn both the United States and the broader Middle East into a full-scale conflict. According to him, Israel seeks to impose itself on the region through war and aggression while pursuing expansionist objectives.

 

He expressed regret that the United States was following Israeli policies and said decisions in Washington were influenced by policies designed in Israel.

 

The ambassador further stated that the deliberate targeting of civilians, vital infrastructure, and civilian sites by the United States and Israel, as well as actions intended to spread fear among the civilian population, constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

Bahreini said that numerous civilians, including women and children, had been killed as a result of what he described as indiscriminate attacks by Israel and the United States on civilian areas. He reported that 65 schools and dozens of healthcare centers had been targeted, with more than 1,300 civilians killed and 32 medical and pharmaceutical facilities damaged.

 

He also referred to an attack on a primary school in Minab that he said resulted in the deaths of 168 children and injuries to many others.

 

According to Bahreini, the attacks occurred despite Iran having responded constructively to international concerns regarding its peaceful nuclear program. He said Tehran entered negotiations to demonstrate the entirely peaceful nature of its nuclear activities and reiterated that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons.

 

The Iranian envoy added that Iran had warned that any aggression against the country would have consequences beyond its borders. However, he said Iran holds no hostility toward neighboring countries and respects their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 

At the same time, he stated that within the framework of self-defense, all U.S. bases, equipment, and interests in the region used to conduct attacks against Iran would be considered legitimate targets.

 

Bahreini also rejected accusations that Iran had targeted civilian sites and warned of possible “false flag” operations by operatives linked to the Mossad and the Central Intelligence Agency aimed at drawing regional countries into the conflict. He said no country should expect Iran to remain passive while being attacked from foreign military bases in the region.

 

He emphasized that the party responsible for ending the war is the one that initiated it, not the country defending itself.

 

Concluding his remarks, Bahreini reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to lasting and sustainable peace, stating that while war may be started unilaterally, peace cannot be established by one side alone. He said that if war is imposed on Iran, the country is fully prepared for a firm and prolonged defense.

 

Bahreini also warned regional countries that the presence of U.S. military bases would not guarantee their security and that allowing their territory to be used for attacks against Iran would constitute a clear violation of international law and the principle of good neighborliness.

 

He finally called on the international community to break its silence and explicitly condemn what he described as crimes committed by the United States and Israel, warning that indifference toward unilateralism, aggression, and repeated violations of the UN Charter would ultimately threaten the security of all nations.

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)