While the Islamic Republic of Iran was engaged in negotiations with the United States regarding its peaceful nuclear programme, the Zionist regime launched a military attack on my country on June 13. This act by Israel constituted a clear case of military aggression and a threat to international peace and security. In accordance with the United Nations Charter, Iran exercised its legitimate right to self-defence and, in response to this aggression, targeted the military and security centres of the Zionist regime.
As a result of Israel’s military assault on my country, a number of military commanders, nuclear scientists and many civilians—most of them women and children—were martyred. Various discussions and perspectives have been shared about this war so far, but due to the widespread misinformation, it is necessary to present a few important facts about this conflict.
Israeli and American hostilities towards the independent development of Iran was the main cause of aggression. The Israeli regime and its allies have never accepted a powerful Iran that independently pursues the path of scientific and technological development and is becoming a new model of non-Western development. They use any flimsy excuse to prevent this independent progress.
Iran stands firmly against any misconduct that threatens the stability of the region. Through its precise, restrained and measured response to the Israeli and American aggression, Iran once again demonstrated that—contrary to certain allegations— while it does not seek conflict, it will stand tall against even the slightest violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Iran reacted to the aggression by exercising the inalienable right of self-defence. Our actions in response to the aggression of the Israeli and American regimes fall strictly within the internationally recognised principle of the inherent right of states to self-defence. Labels such as “retaliatory attack” fail to accurately depict the legal and strategic dimensions of Iran’s response.
Iran’s polity has shown resilience and robustness against the aggression. Our immediate and decisive response following the assassination of our senior military commanders and scientists demonstrated that, contrary to mainstream media narratives, the Iranian government does not depend on individuals. Rather, it is a resilient and robust system, fully capable of safeguarding national interests under the gravest circumstances.
Iranians widely condemned Israeli aggression. Despite widespread disinformation disseminated by mainstream media, the patriotic people of Iran unequivocally condemned the aggression by the Tel Aviv and Washington regimes, urging the government to protect national sovereignty and defend against Zionist aggression.
Iran’s indigenous military technology performed spectacularly during the conflict. Iran has demonstrated that the hostile policies, fabricated narratives and unlawful unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies have not impeded Iran’s scientific and technological advancement. Rather, they have incentivised Iran to stand firmly against the world’s most advanced weapons through reliance on indigenous defence technologies.
The global community accepted the undeniable rightfulness of Iran’s stance. The extensive international support from governments and civil societies has exposed the ineffectiveness of the Western media’s massive propaganda campaign, which persistently attempts to portray Iran as a threat to global peace and stability, in order to justify violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iran. Iran’s principled resistance against these aggressive and bullying regimes has underscored the legitimacy of its stance.
The resistance against the supremacists and bullying regimes is winning increasing global popularity. In light of Iran’s resistance, freedom-loving and justice-seeking nations around the world have become increasingly aware of the aggressive nature of global Zionism and now, more than ever, emphasise the need to defend the oppressed people of Palestine.
All states concerned about the future of global law and order condemned the aggression, which has inflicted a serious blow to international law and undermined the credibility of international organisations. In such circumstances, it is natural for states concerned about the future of the global community and its governing norms to categorically condemn these aggressions. The aggressor regimes of Israel and the United States have once again shown their blatant disregard for universally accepted international rules and norms and their continued misuse of international law as a tool to advance narrow geopolitical interests.
The irreparable blow to the nuclear non-proliferation regime has threatened global peace and stability. A military assault by a non-NPT member state possessing nuclear weapons against an NPT-compliant state—whose peaceful nuclear programme is under constant IAEA supervision—is a grave blow to the non-proliferation regime. The regime’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities occurred despite Iran’s longstanding emphasis on the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme and its consistent advocacy for a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East.
Iran, meanwhile, will continue to exercise its right to peaceful nuclear energy. My country has reaffirmed that it will not relinquish its legitimate and inalienable rights under any form of coercion, threat or unlawful aggression by the Israeli regime and its allies. Accordingly, Iran will continue to assert its right to use peaceful nuclear energy, advance scientific and technological developments, and enhance its national defensive capabilities. Iran is more willing than ever to exercise its right to peaceful nuclear energy to safeguard the legacy of its assassinated nuclear scientists.
Contrary to US claims, no ceasefire has taken place between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the illegitimate Israeli regime. From the onset of the aggression, Iran declared that its response was strictly in exercise of self-defence, and accordingly, operations ceased only upon the termination of hostile actions by the aggressor regime.
Iraj Elahi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India