New York: The UN Security Council convened on Sunday at Tehran’s request to address the recent US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Russia, China, and Pakistan have circulated a draft resolution urging an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
According to France24.com, the Security Council meeting was prompted by the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, with Russia, China, and Pakistan advocating for the 15-member body to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional halt to hostilities in the Middle East. The timeline for a potential vote on this resolution remains uncertain.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for urgent action, stating, “We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.”
The international community awaited Iran’s response following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US, alongside Israel, had “obliterated” key Iranian nuclear sites in the most significant Western military action against Iran since the 1979 revolution.
Rafael Grossi, the UN nuclear watchdog chief, informed the Security Council that while visible damage was observed at Iran’s Fordow enrichment site, the extent of underground damage could not be assessed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Grossi noted that entrances to tunnels at the Isfahan nuclear complex and the fuel enrichment plant at Natanz had been impacted.
Grossi reported that Iran assured the IAEA there was no increase in off-site radiation levels at any of the three sites. He stressed that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”
Iran’s request for the Security Council meeting was accompanied by a call for the body to condemn the US strikes as a “blatant and unlawful act of aggression.”
Amir Saeid Iravani, speaking at the UN Security Council, accused the United States of resorting to “illegal force” under a false pretext of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In contrast, Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon expressed support for the US actions, stating that the US and Israel deserved appreciation for their efforts to enhance global safety. Danon clarified that decisions about Iran’s regime were for the Iranian people to make, not external powers.