Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saied said in an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday that his country reserves the "inherent right to respond at a time of its choosing," to what he called "this act of aggression. The session was held to discuss Israel’s retaliatory attack in Tehran on Saturday.
“Israel’s attack constitutes a breach of international law. The U.S.’s support of Israel encouraged it to continue its aggression in Gaza and Lebanon,” Saied said.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council there would be "severe consequences" should Tehran take any further aggressive action against Jerusalem. "We will not hesitate to act in self-defense. Let there be no confusion. The United States does not want to see further escalation. We believe this should be the end of the direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran," she said.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Joe Biden, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
(Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein, AP)
"As we have stated time and time again, we have the right and duty to defend ourselves and will use all the means at our disposal to protect the citizens of Israel," Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told the council.
He also demanded the international body recognize the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, impose “immediate, paralyzing sanctions against Iran’s military and economic infrastructure,” and implored the council to “take every step necessary to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state.”
Israeli Air Force pilots readying for attack in Iran
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Meanwhile, members of Israel’s Security Cabinet discussed three main issues Sunday overnight including the Hezbollah drone strike on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea and deliberated on how to respond to Iran over the attack.
Military representatives presented several options in the meeting; however, some ministers present were "carried away" with their proposals and no decision was agreed on.
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