Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan,
stressed this Sunday that his country reserves the right to retaliate
, despite calls from the Secretary General and all countries for a de-escalation.
"This attack crossed all red lines and Israel reserves the legal right to respond. We are not the frog in the boiling water:
we are a nation of lions
," Gilad Erdan said in his speech to the Security Council.
"After such a massive attack against Israel, the entire world, and even less Israel, cannot sit idly by. We defend our future," proclaimed Erdan, who expressly thanked the United States for its support.
The Tehran regime defended itself.
Iran "does not seek escalation or war in the region"
of the Middle East, its ambassador to the UN, Saeed Iravani, said this Sunday in the Security Council, but at the same time "it will not hesitate to respond to any threat or aggression, of in accordance with international law."
The ambassador also made it very clear that his country "has no intention of entering into conflict with the United States in the region", and in fact - he stressed - his country has demonstrated "commitment to peace and containment" after demonstrating the involvement of the United States. US in the interception of Iranian drones and missiles.
"The Security Council has failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security" by not condemning the April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, so
"Iran had no choice but to exercise its right to "self-defense
," said the diplomat, specifying that Tehran does not want an escalation, but that it will respond to "any threat or aggression."
Now, if the United States were to initiate an operation against Iranian citizens or interests, "we will use our inherent right to respond proportionately," the diplomat warned.
Emergency meeting
"Neither the region nor the world can afford more wars
," UN Secretary General António Guterres cried this Sunday, demanding "maximum moderation" at an emergency meeting of the Security Council convened after the drone and missile attack. They will go to Israel.
"The Middle East is on the brink of a precipice
. The people of the region face a real danger of widespread and devastating conflict. This is a time for de-escalation and détente. It is time to show maximum restraint," he insisted.
"It is vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military clashes on multiple fronts in the Middle East," he added.
"Neither the region nor the world can afford more wars," he insisted.
The Secretary General also reiterated his condemnation of the attack launched on Saturday by Iran against Israel, denouncing a "serious escalation." He at the same time criticized once again
the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 attributed to Israel
, underlining the "principle of inviolability" of diplomatic representations.
According to the Israeli military, Iran sent "a swarm of 300 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles" overnight from Saturday to Sunday, an attack that the Israelis claim to have largely thwarted.
Since the Iranian revolution of 1979,
Israel has been the sworn enemy of the Islamic Republic.
But until now Tehran had refrained from attacking Israel frontally and the two countries were used to confronting each other through third parties, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah.
The Iranian offensive, dubbed
"Honest Promise,"
is a response to the attack that destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus and cost the lives of seven members of the Revolutionary Guard.
Iran accused Israel of this fact, which neither confirmed nor denied it.
This attack came more than six months after the start of the Israeli-led offensive in the Gaza Strip against the Iranian-backed Palestinian group Hamas,
which further increased tensions between the two enemy countries.
Guterres again called on Sunday for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza and the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attack on Israel, which started the conflict in the Palestinian territory.
Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, requested this emergency meeting on Saturday and asked the Council to "unequivocally condemn Iran for this serious violation" and "act to designate as a terrorist organization" the Revolutionary Guard, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic.
"It is time for the Security Council to take concrete measures against the Iranian threat," he added in a letter to the Security Council.
Source: AFP and EFE
P.B.