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Secretary General António Guterres attends the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East. Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
– The United States and Israel launched a joint military attack against Iran on February 28. Iran followed up with military attacks against Israeli bases and Arab Gulf states, including Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The real threat of a new war has caused alarm over the security situation in the Middle East and its impact on civilian populations.
As the latest outbreak of fighting in the Middle East unfolded, the U.N. Security Council in New York convened an emergency meeting to deliberate military strikes on Iran. The session was convened at the request of Iran and members of the Security Council.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres briefed the Council on the situation up to that point and condemned the escalation of hostilities. “We are witnessing a serious threat to international peace and security. Military action carries the risk of unleashing a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region in the world,” he warned.
Under Article 2 of the UN Charter, all member states must “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,” Guterres reminded the Council. He reiterated that there would be “no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes” and that “lasting peace” could only be achieved through diplomatic negotiations.
Guterres also noted that the attacks between the United States and Israel followed the latest round of indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran mediated by Oman, which were expected to lead to new political talks. “I deeply regret that this opportunity for diplomacy was wasted.”
According to Iran, the US-Israeli attacks constituted a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and a threat to international peace and security. Sayed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, said in a letter to Guterres that in response to the aggression, Iran was invoking its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter. This states that the Charter shall not “impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense” and that any action taken by Member States to exercise their right to self-defense must be “immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility” of the Council to take such measures as it “deems necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.”
“The United States and the Israeli regime will take full and direct responsibility for all resulting consequences, including any escalation arising from their illegal actions,” Aragchi said. Noting the “serious and far-reaching consequences” of a regional conflict, Aragchi wrote of the collective responsibility of the UN and the Security Council to take immediate action and “discharge their duties without delay.”
Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani of Iran reiterated the point before the Security Council, highlighting the threat to the country’s sovereignty and that the actions taken by the United States and Israel violated the United Nations Charter. There is also the added context that the first round of strikes between the United States and Israel killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Some Council members spoke against Iran’s military actions on Saturday and against the Khanmenei regime in relation to its nuclear program and its “appalling violence and repression against its own people.” The United Kingdom, France and Germany jointly condemned the regime and its attacks on countries in the region.
The acting permanent representative of the United Kingdom, James Kariuki, stressed that the present was a “fragile moment for the Middle East.” As president of the Security Council for the month of February, Kariuki noted that Iran “repeatedly ignored calls” for a solution to its nuclear program and apparent lack of cooperation with the IAEA. He stated that Iran “must refrain from further attacks and its egregious behavior, to allow a path back to diplomacy.”
“My country, which is a defender of peace and coexistence, never expected to be the target of unbridled and unjustified aggression,” said Bahrain’s ambassador, Jamal Al Rowaiei. Bahrain was one of the Gulf States attacked by Iranian military forces and currently sits on the Security Council as an elected member. Al Rowaiei condemned Iran for its attacks on residential areas and vital facilities – including a US Navy base – and called on everyone to “contain this crisis” and protect the stability of the region.
Other member states highlighted threats to international peace and security. Condemning military strikes against Iran and the Arab Gulf States, Pakistani Ambassador Asim Ahmad lamented that “diplomacy has once again been derailed,” referring to negotiations between the United States and Iran. “These military actions undermine dialogue and further erode trust that was already in short supply,” Ahmad said.
Echoing Guterres’ sentiments, other UN entities and leaders reiterated calls to continue negotiations and respect international law. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said he was “deeply concerned” about the situation in the Middle East and said world leaders should choose the “challenging path of dialogue” rather than the “meaningless path of destruction.”
“My heart goes out to the civilians caught in the crossfire. Regardless of borders, everyone deserves to live without the threat of violence around them,” he said.
Across Iran, civilian infrastructure has been destroyed, resulting in dozens of casualties. Of note, Israeli airstrikes have bombed schools, including a girls’ primary school in Minab, in Hormozgan province, southern Iran. As of March 1, the death toll from this strike rose to 165, according to state sources.
UNICEF issued a statement shortly after the school attacks, warning that “the weekend’s military escalation in the Middle East marks a dangerous moment for millions of children in the region.” They called for an immediate end to hostilities and for all parties to meet their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, including the protection of children. “Attacking civilians and civilian objects, including schools, is a violation of international law.”
“Bombs and missiles are not the way to resolve differences, they only cause death, destruction and human misery,” said UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk. He added that all sides must reduce tensions and return to the negotiating table, warning that failure to do so would only lead to more “senseless civilian deaths” and “destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said they were “closely monitoring” developments, urging restraint to “avoid any nuclear safety risk.”
The United States will assume the presidency of the Security Council in March. It will be a matter of waiting to see the role this institution will play in protecting the principles of international law and preventing further loss of civilian life.
IPS UN Office Report
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