2024-04-19 17:45:07
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian vowed today before the UN Security Council that his country would “make Israel regret” any attack against it, reported AFP.
“Iran’s self-defense actions and countermeasures have ended, so the Israeli terrorist regime must stop any further military adventure against our interests,” Abdolakhian told a meeting of the Middle East Security Council.
“In the event of the Israeli regime using force and violating our sovereignty, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate for a second to defend its rights, respond decisively and adequately and make the regime regret its actions,” he added.
Israel has said it reserves the “right to defend itself” against Iran after Iran’s attack this weekend saw more than 350 drones and missiles fired at Israel. Almost all of them were intercepted in flight. However, Israel did not provide information on the means, date and goals of a possible operation, summarizes AFP.
Tehran presented its attack as a response to the deadly attack attributed to Israel on the Iranian consulate in Damascus earlier this month, BTA reported.
Abdolakhian spoke to the UN Security Council after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said earlier today that Tehran may review its “nuclear doctrine” following Israeli threats, Reuters noted.
At the meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the Middle East, the Secretary General of the world organization Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint.
“It is high time to end the bloody cycle of retaliation. It is high time to stop,” Guterres said.
“The international community must work together to prevent any action that could push the entire Middle East over the edge, with a devastating impact on the civilian population,” he urged.
Earlier, Israel’s permanent representative to the UN, Gilad Erdan, criticized Abdollahian’s presence in the Security Council.
“He’s here to mock you. He’s here to show you all – in your suits and with your diplomatic niceties – that his country can attack another member state on Saturday, and then he can come here on Thursday to teach you about human rights and international law,” Erdan said.