Iran at the United Nations: Attacks on Israel are self-defense

(Patria) - Iranian attacks on Israel are self-defense and "proportional defensive operations aimed exclusively at military targets and related infrastructure," Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the United Nations Security Council, Reuters reported.

In a letter, he wrote that any cooperation by third countries with Israeli attacks on Iran "makes them complicit in the legal responsibility and consequences of this crisis".

Addressing reporters later on Monday, Iravani singled out the United States.

"Without American weapons, intelligence, and political support, this attack could not have happened. The United States will share responsibility for this illegal act," he said.

"Let me be clear, Iran did not attack Israel. Iran did not start any war. The so-called existential threat narrative is false."

Israel launched a war on Friday with a surprise attack that killed almost the entire top echelon of Iranian military commanders and leading nuclear scientists. Israel said its goal was to destroy Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program. Iran has since retaliated against Israel.

"In the past 48 hours, Iran has launched over 1,000 missiles and drones directly at Israeli civilians," Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon said on Monday.

"Iran targets its missiles at children, while we target the regime's terror machinery."

Iravani said in his letter to the Security Council that Iran was acting in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which requires the fifteen-member Security Council to be immediately informed of any action taken by states in self-defense against an armed attack.

The Security Council met on Friday, at Tehran's request, due to the initial Israeli attacks on Iran.