Dr Araghchi Calls Israel’s Attacks on Iran’s Nuclear and Civilian Sites a Declaration of War

Iran’s Foreign Minister’s Letter to UN Condemning Israel’s Military Aggression

Letter from Iran’s Foreign Minister to the United Nations Regarding Israel’s Military Aggression Against Iran

In response to the Israeli regime’s military aggression against multiple locations in Iran, including several military bases, nuclear facilities, and residential buildings, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of numerous military commanders, university professors, and innocent Iranian women and children, H.E. Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, addressed a letter to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In this letter, he condemned the aggressive act as tantamount to a declaration of war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and called for the Security Council to urgently address the matter.

The Foreign Minister emphasized that Israel’s attacks constitute a flagrant violation of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as an independent member state of the United Nations and represent an overt act of aggression against Iran.

H.E. Araghchi requested an emergency session of the Security Council, stating: “The Council must fulfill its responsibilities under the Charter, strongly condemn this aggression, and take immediate and concrete measures to hold the Israeli regime accountable.”

The Foreign Minister further underscored Iran’s determination to exercise its right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The full text of the letter is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

With utmost urgency and profound concern regarding the aggressive and unlawful actions of the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, I address this letter to you. By recklessly and deliberately escalating a crisis that blatantly violates the United Nations Charter and the most fundamental norms of international law, the Israeli regime has carried out a series of coordinated military attacks against cities, peaceful nuclear facilities, military commanders, and innocent civilians.

Among the targets was the Natanz nuclear facility, one of Iran’s primary nuclear sites, which operates under the full safeguards and oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This reckless attack not only endangered the lives of Iranian civilians but also posed a grave threat to regional and international peace and security by risking a radiological catastrophe. Any deliberate military attack on nuclear facilities under international safeguards constitutes a gross violation of international law. This dangerous assault further undermines the global non-proliferation regime and the overall functioning of the IAEA.

Concurrently, a series of targeted assassinations were carried out against senior Iranian military commanders and scientists in Tehran. These deliberate and pre-planned actions are clear instances of state-sponsored terrorism. The responsibility for these heinous crimes, openly and arrogantly claimed by the Israeli regime’s Prime Minister, constitutes an explicit admission of accountability for the attacks.

These egregious acts not only represent a severe violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran as an independent member state of the United Nations but also qualify as acts of aggression and war crimes under international law and international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions. Most critically, these atrocities blatantly violate Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. These coordinated actions amount to a declaration of war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and form part of Israel’s broader pattern of unlawful and destabilizing behavior in the region, posing a serious threat to international peace and security. Israel, the world’s most notorious terrorist regime, has now crossed all red lines, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished. The Security Council and the Secretary-General must immediately and unequivocally condemn and address this aggression. This is not merely a military attack against a nation—it is a direct assault on the principles that underpin the international legal order. Failure to respond will only embolden the aggressor, reward impunity, and fuel further chaos in an already fragile region.

The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and will respond decisively and proportionately to these unlawful and cowardly acts. Iran is fully resolved to protect its sovereignty, people, and national security. This right is non-negotiable. Israel will deeply regret the reckless aggression and strategic miscalculation it has committed.

Given the gravity of this unlawful aggression and its implications for international peace and security, I urgently request the convening of an emergency session of the Security Council. The Council must fulfill its responsibilities under the Charter, unequivocally condemn this act of aggression, and take immediate and concrete measures to hold the Israeli regime fully accountable for its crimes.

I further request that this letter be circulated as a document of the Security Council and brought to the attention of all member states.