United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Iran’s missile strike on Israel during a Security Council meeting on Wednesday, asserting that the deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop. He warned the Council that time is running out as tensions rise in the Middle East.
The 15-member Council convened after Israel killed the leader of Hezbollah and commenced a ground assault against the group, coinciding with Iran’s missile attack on Israel, which has heightened fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel’s Foreign Minister announced that Guterres would be barred from entering the country, citing his failure to “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile assault.
In a letter addressed to the Security Council on Tuesday, Iran defended its missile attack as an act of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, alleging aggressive actions by Israel, which it claimed violated Iran’s sovereignty. Iran asserted that it had targeted only military and security installations, stating compliance with international humanitarian law.
Israel’s UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, rejected Iran’s self-defence rationale. “It was a calculated attack on a civilian population,” he stated. “Israel will not stand by in the face of such aggression. Israel will respond. Our response will be decisive, and yes, it will be painful, but unlike Iran we will act in full accordance with international law.”