UN chief Guterres warns of rathole of retaliation

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations Secretary-General has called the US airstrikes on Iran a “dangerous escalation” in the region and urged the Security Council to take immediate action to stop the war.

Russia, strongly criticizing the move, has called it a violation of the UN Charter, while the United States has said the attack was a “necessary response” to an imminent threat from Iran.”

The United States’ bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities marks a “perilous turn” in an already volatile region, Secretary-General António Guterres warned during an emergency meeting of the Security Council.

The emergency meeting was held on Sunday, the UN’s top nuclear watchdog official also cautioned that violence could reach “unthinkable levels”, and that the global non-proliferation regime “as we know it could crumble and fall”.

“We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation,” Guterres warned the 15-member Council. “To avoid it, diplomacy must prevail,” he stressed.

He called for civilians to be protected and for safe maritime navigation to be guaranteed, calling for the immediate and decisive halt in fighting and a return to “serious, sustained negotiations” on the Iran nuclear programme.

“We need a credible, comprehensive and verifiable solution — one that restores trust — including with full access to inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he went on to say.

“[Iran] used the negotiating table as camouflage, a delay tactic, a way to buy time while building missiles and enriching uranium. […] We gave it every possible off-ramp, Iran would not move, so it had to be moved,” said Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations.

“A nuclear Iran would have been a death sentence, just as much for you as it would have been for us,” he said. “We have already gained superiority across Iranian skies,” he said, “You cannot sit this one out”.

“This is a historic test for this Council, for the United Nations as a whole.  […]  If this Council fails to act and condemn this blatant aggression, the stain of complicity will forever remain on its conscience, as it does with Gaza,” said Amir Saeid Iravani, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

“Iran reserves its full and legitimate right, under international law, to defend itself against this blatant US aggression and its Israeli proxy.  The timing, nature, and scale of Iran’s proportionate response will be decided by its armed forces.”

“This operation sought to eliminate a long standing but rapidly escalating source of global insecurity and to aid our ally Israel in our inherent right of collective self-defence, consistent with the UN Charter,” said Dorothy Shea, ambassador and acting representative of the United States to the United Nations

“The time finally came for the United States in the defence of its ally and in the defence of our own citizens and interests, to act decisively. […] As President [Donald J] Trump said any Iranian attack direct or indirect against Americans or American bases will be met with devastating retaliation.”

“Washington reasserted that to further the interests of its Israeli ally, it’s prepared not only to turn a blind eye to the killings of tens of thousands Palestinian women, children and older persons, but also to gamble with the safety and well-being of humanity,” remarked Vassily A. Nebenzia, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Stressing the United States leadership “actually flaunted” and demonstrated “wholesale disregard” for the norms of international law and the UN Charter, he said:  “We believe that none of our sensible colleagues in the international community will believe our US colleagues anymore, much like they won’t believe their attempts to convince the Security Council that Iran was trying to acquire nuclear weapons.”

“The only viable path forward is a swift recommitment to talks on non-proliferation, in line with relevant international resolutions,” Mohamed Rabi Yusuf, Deputy Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations

“The challenges before us demand a collective, measured response rooted in dialogue, mutual respect, and a renewed commitment to multilateralism.

“Somalia stands ready to engage constructively with the international community to advance peace, stability, and security for all states in the Middle East.”

“We hope that some room might still remain for dialogue; we hope that this Council will be able to play a constructive role to encourage that dialogue,” said Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations

“We must all urge the parties to find a solution that avoids civilian populations from becoming victims of an even worse conflict.”

Joonkook Hwang, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, said despite the deeply concerning developments in recent days, the Republic of Korea remained firmly convinced that no sustainable resolution to the crisis could be achieved through military means alone.-

“Indeed, now more than ever we implore all parties to recognize that diplomacy is not merely an option but an urgent necessity. We call on all sides to exercise maximum restraint and to commit, in earnest, to restoring dialogue and engaging in reinvigorated diplomatic efforts.”

sa/ma