Iran on Saturday called for the United Nations Security Council to meet over Israel’s assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and other Hezbollah leaders on Friday.
Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani asked for the emergency meeting in a letter to the 15-member body after Israel killed Nasrallah and other terrorists in a targeted strike in Beirut.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly warns against any attack on its diplomatic premises and representatives in violation of the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and reiterates that it will not tolerate any repeat of such aggression,” he wrote.
“Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent rights under international law to take every measure in defense of its vital national and security interests,” he added.
The Security Council held an emergency session on Wednesday on the escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s prime minister, told the council that his country is facing “a blatant violation of our sovereignty and human rights.” Israel’s U.N. envoy Danny Danon urged the Security Council to enforce U.N. Resolution 1701, which was meant to disarm Hezbollah.
“Never again will the Jewish people hide from the monsters whose purpose in life is to murder Jews,” said Danon.
President Joe Biden called the Israeli strike a “measure of justice” for victims of a four-decade “reign of terror.” Russia, which like the United States has veto power at the Security Council, condemned Israel’s assassination of Nasrallah.
“We strongly condemn yet another political assassination committed by Israel,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.
