Iranian Foreign Minister lambasts UN chief, demands legal and moral action against ‘illegal war’
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has lambasted the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres after his recent statement amid the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
“Dear Mr. Secretary General, Let's call a spade a spade. This is not "the fighting"; this is an 'unprovoked act of aggression' launched by two nuclear armed regimes against Iran. We WERE in "serious diplomatic negotiations" while the U.S./Israel attacked Iran, for a second time during the past 9 months. You are concerned about "grave risk to the global economy"; what about the innocent civilians, including 175 little angels slaughtered in the City of Minab, and many more killed and maimed across Iran during the past 7 days of American/Israeli criminal acts?! The UN shall be forthright and shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities regarding this illegal war on Iran,” the Iranian Foreign Minister said in a post on X.
Guterres earlier said in a statement: “All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region – and pose a grave a risk to the global economy, particularly to the most vulnerable people. The situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control. It is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations. The stakes could not be higher.”
The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posing a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East. The hostilities are escalating, with heavy airstrikes reported in the region. The U.S.-Israeli campaign started days after the latest round of U.S.-Iran negotiations.