Russia to back Iran’s attack against Israel at UN Security Council

Russian FM Lavrov affirms support for Iran’s military response to Israel, citing legitimate defense while emphasizing the need for restraint and responsibility in regional dynamics

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed Russia’s staunch backing for Iran’s military response to Israel as a legitimate act of defense in a recent phone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The conversation, as reported by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, highlighted Lavrov’s hope for regional tension reduction following Iran’s retaliatory strike on Israel.

The strike, occurring two weeks after an attack on the Iranian Consulate in Syria, resulted in the deaths of seven Iranian military personnel, including a high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander for Syria and Lebanon, attributed to Israel.

Lavrov criticized countries that refrained from condemning the Consulate attack, indicating that Russia “had no doubt” about Iran responding to it.

 

Lavrov further emphasized Russia’s belief in Iran’s responsible and self-restrained approach to military action, citing it as a basis for support.

Amir-Abdollahian elucidated Iran’s objectives and execution of the military operation targeting specific locations in Israeli-occupied territories. He emphasized that the “limited action” was aimed at “deterring, punishing and warning” Israel.

He also stated that if Israel takes any further action against Iran, it will “definitely face a very strong response.”

This latest development underscores escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with global powers, including the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany, condemning Iran’s strikes and prompting diplomatic protests from Tehran.

Iran’s attack legitimate act of self-defense under UN charter 

Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the U.N., Amir-Saeid Iravani, has said the attack was a legitimate act of self-defense under the U.N. charter, saying, “Iran’s military action was in response to the Zionist regime’s aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus.”

“This action was in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, and in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on April 1, 2024, against Iranian diplomatic premises, in the defiance of Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations,” according to the Iranian ambassador.