In a letter to the President of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council Eloi Alfaro de Alba on August 20, Said Irabani said the allegations against Iran were reliable, verifiable and independently supported evidence.
Below is the text of his letter:
Your Honor,
I am writing to affirm and explicitly condemn the baseless, politically motivated allegations made against the Islamic Republic of Iran by representatives of the US and Israeli regimes held on August 11, 2025 under the “Maintaining International Peace and Security (99777)” in the open discussion of the US and Israeli regimes, and in the open discussion of the US and Israeli regimes. Similarly, the allegations made by the US representative regarding the Council’s briefing on the “Middle East Situation” on August 12, 2025 (9978th meeting) alleges that Iran has transferred arms to Yemen in violation of a Security Council resolution. It lacks reliable, verifiable, independently supported evidence. In this regard, I would like to draw your attention and the attention of members of the Security Council to:
1. The Islamic Republic of Iran has complied with its obligations under international law, including the UN Charter, and has consistently supported the safety and security of its voyages. Iran respects all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Yemen and has never engaged in activities that contradict these resolutions. It claims that Iran threatens maritime security through alleged support for Yemen’s Ansalala or through the seizure of vessels. These unfounded claims are part of a deliberate disinformation campaign designed to distract attention from illegal attacks and volatile actions by the US and Israeli regimes in Yemen and the wider regions.
2. Contrary to the claims, the Israeli administration, representing the United States and its region, is a major source of instability and uncertainty in the region, threatening maritime security and navigational security. With US support, the Israeli regime is on many opportunities to target oil tankers and commercial vessels in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. Such hostile actions take the form of placing and explosives in the engine compartment. The Persian Gulf and the seas of the Oman have the clear purpose of regularly issuing provocative maritime notifications in the US and UK surfaces and aviation forces, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, with the explicit purpose of creating uncertainty, tensions and arrests in the region. The continued presence of regional navy in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and their destabilizing acts not only fail to contribute to the security of the region, but pose a threat to maritime security and poses risks towards escalation that are out of control.
3. The US and Israeli administrations have perpetuated military and offensive actions on Yemen’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence in blatant violations of international law, the UN Charter and binding Security Council resolutions. These illegal activities have clearly violated international humanitarian law, intentionally and systematically targeted private infrastructure, commercial ports, fuel storage facilities and energy infrastructure, with catastrophic humanitarian consequences, exacerbating the world’s most serious humanitarian crisis, and gaining something that places emphasis on the safety and stability of the Red Sea. The most recent example is the intentional targeting and fire of the Hejaz power plant in Sanaa, Yemen on August 17, 2025, a key private energy facility carried out by the Israeli regime, with full accomplices and support from the United States. This illegal act constitutes a powerful violation of international humanitarian law and clearly represents a war crime.
4. It must be emphasized that the vessel was legally detained due to the allegations made by US representatives regarding the MSC Aries ship, as it does not comply with clear violations of maritime regulations and repeated safety warnings. This was a legitimate enforcement action consistent with international maritime law and was necessary to protect navigation security. All crew members have been released on humanitarian grounds and demonstrate compliance with international humanitarian principles. The vessel is in legal detention withholding judicial proceedings arising from the violation. Strict compliance with maritime rules and regulations by all vessels is essential to protect maritime safety and security.
5. The United States’ habitually misconception of the Security Council as a platform to pursue a political agenda and distract attention from the unstable and illegal actions of the Israeli administration is a matter of deep concern. The long records of aggression and illegal activities have made the US and Israeli administrations not lecting to lecture Iran on maritime security, distort the council’s work or advance double standards. Those who condemn Iran’s Islamic Republic are in themselves major violators of international law. Their actions expose deliberate attempts to pursue a narrow political agenda and maintain the failed policies of Iran’s greatest pressure on the Islamic Republic. The Security Council cannot itself be misused as a platform for US propaganda or act as a shield to avoid accountability for graves and ongoing crimes committed throughout Gaza and the region. Similarly, we should not be distracted from addressing the root causes of current instability and anxiety in the Red Sea. Permanent peace and security remains unattainable unless these underlying drivers face first and foremost an illegal occupation of Israel, acts of aggression, and sustained and systematic violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and resolutions of the Security Council.
Thank you for your distribution of current letters as Security Council documents.
I hope you will accept my best considerations, Your Excellency.
MNA