Guantánamo.- The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session following U.S.-led strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, prompting sharp rebukes from several member states and renewed calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East, as allies Israel and the U.S. praised the attack.
Russia, China and Pakistan have proposed a resolution demanding an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” according to diplomats familiar with the draft circulated on Sunday. While the proposal does not explicitly name the United States or Israel, it condemns the attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. A vote has not yet been scheduled. To pass, the resolution requires the backing of at least nine members and no vetoes from the five permanent members — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China, which makes it a non-starter since the U.S. will not censure itself.
Speaking to the Council, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the region stood “on the brink of a deadly downward spiral.” “The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling,” Guterres said. “We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation. We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear program.”
Acting U.S. ambassador Dorothy Shea defended the military action, stating that Washington had moved to dismantle Iran’s enrichment capacity in order to protect both its citizens and allies. “The time finally came for the United States, in defense of its ally [Israel] and our own interests, to act decisively,” Shea told the chamber. “Iran should not escalate… any Iranian attack, direct or indirect, against Americans or American bases will be met with devastating retaliation.”
Iran’s Ambassador Ali Bahreini said the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran did not come about “in a vacuum”, adding that they are the result of “politically motivated actions” of the United States and its European partners. He said Washington “decided to destroy diplomacy” and pointedly made it clear that the Iranian military will decide on the “timing, nature and scale” of its response.
Meanwhile, Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon claimed that the attacks had made the world “a safer place”, rejecting calls for condemnation. Instead, Danon praised the military attack, saying it was a bold decision by U.S. President Donald Trump.
China’s ambassador Fu Cong condemned the U.S. strikes and urged restraint. “We call for an immediate ceasefire,” he said. “China is deeply concerned about the risk of the situation getting out of control.”
Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya described the attacks as yet another sign of Washington’s disregard for global norms. “The U.S. has opened a Pandora’s box,” he said. “No one knows what catastrophe or suffering will follow.”
Pakistan’s ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad also condemned the .b.ombing, calling it deeply troubling. “The sharp rise in tensions and violence as a result of Israeli aggression and unlawful actions is profoundly disturbing,” he said. “Pakistan stands in solidarity with the government and brotherly people of Iran during this challenging time.” This came the day after Pakistan suggested U.S. President Donald Trump be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump’s announcement that American forces had “obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites marked the most significant Western military action against Tehran since the 1979 revolution.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told the Council that while the scale of underground damage remains unclear, impact craters were visible at the Fordow enrichment site. The entrances to tunnels at Isfahan appeared to have been struck, while Natanz — long a target of Israeli sabotage — had been hit again.
Iran has castigated Grossi for being complicit in paving the way for Israel and the U.S. to attack it.
The United Nations nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors approved a resolution declaring Iran was not complying with its commitment to international nuclear safeguards the day before Israel launched its initial attack on June 13th.
[ SOURCE: PRESS TV and NEWS AGENCIES ]
