US at UN Warns Iran: Do Not Attack Us or Israel

(Patria) - The United States warned Iran at the UN Security Council not to attack either them or Israel.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that "the deadly, cyclical violence in the Middle East must stop".

- Time is running out - Guterres said at a UN Security Council meeting.

The Security Council met after Israel killed a Hezbollah leader and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, to which Iran responded by attacking Israel with ballistic missiles.

- Our actions are defensive in nature. To be clear: the Iranian regime will be held accountable for its actions.

And we strongly warn Iran and its allies not to take actions against the US, nor new actions against Israel - said US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

She added that the Council should condemn the Iranian attack and respond to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard with "serious consequences".

- As members of the Security Council, we have a collective responsibility to impose additional sanctions on the Revolutionary Guard for supporting terrorism and ignoring so many resolutions of this Council - said Thomas-Greenfield.

Guterres added that he strongly condemns the Iranian attack on Israel.

Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs stated yesterday that he is banning him from entering the country because he did not condemn the Iranian attack.

In a letter to the Security Council on Tuesday, Iran justified the attack on Israel as self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, citing Israel's "aggressive acts" as the reason, including violations of Iranian sovereignty.

"Iran, in its entirety, respecting the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law, targeted only the military and security infrastructure of the regime with its defensive missile attacks," the letter stated.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, criticized this Iranian argument.

- This was a calculated attack on the civilian population. Israel will not let this aggression pass silently. Israel will respond.

Our response will be decisive and yes, it will be painful, but unlike Iran, we will act entirely in accordance with international law - he told reporters before the Council meeting.