Foreign Minister Abbas Aragci addressed the Human Rights Council at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva.
Below is a transcript of his speech.
president,
A well-known representative,
I am Abbas Aragci, the Foreign Minister of Iran, a peace-loving nation, one of the oldest civilizations that has made a major contribution to human civilization, culture and ethics.
The 100 million people now have committed horrific genocide in Palestine for the past two years, and is the subject of a terrible offensive act of attack by the regime occupying the lands of neighboring countries.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I stand in front of the organization this August and remind me of my legal and ethical responsibility. All state members and observers of the Human Rights Council must confront this serious injustice.
Israel launched an unprovoked attack on Iran, boldly rebelling against the harsh violation of Article 2(4) of the Charter and all the principles and rules that this council represents.
This is an unjust war that was imposed on my people since early Friday, June 13th, when Israel committed an illegal and mixed criminal operation against non-service military personnel, university professors and ordinary people. Hundreds of my fellow Iranians have been killed and injured due to Israel’s surprising armed attacks and terrorist operations in residential areas, public infrastructure, hospitals and health centres.
Our peaceful nuclear facilities are targeted despite the complete surveillance of the IAEA, despite the absolute ban on attacks on such facilities under international law. Israel’s attacks on nuclear facilities are a serious war crime and are also poses the risk of environmental and health catastrophes as a result of radiation leaks.
president,
Iran, a founding member of the United Nations system, justly expects each of you to support the fundamental doctrines of justice, the rule of law, and humanity and ethics. Iran is under merciless aggression. This transparent fact should not be allowed to be twisted upside down by Israel and its supporters. Israel’s attacks on Iran cannot be justified by legal or moral standards. This injustice and justification of criminal war would be equivalent to accomplice.
Iran is defending itself against this wild attack. We are given, appointed and determined to defend territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force. This is our inherent right, as clearly recognized in Article 51 of the Charter.
Dear colleague,
Peace and the rule of law have been at a serious crisis as a result of Israel’s illegal aggression of Iran. Israel commits war crimes and crimes against humanity. International humanitarian law, already severely damaged as a result of ruthless atrocities in Israel’s occupied Palestine and elsewhere, is at another very serious risk as Israel commits a serious violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention.
president,
Switzerland is the manager of the Geneva Convention and Protocols for IHL, and has a significant responsibility in this regard. In fact, all parties in the 1949 Convention shall bear their liability under this Convention, particularly Articles 1 and 3 of these Conventions.
Dear colleague,
We were attacked in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process. We are to meet with Americans on June 15th to create a highly promising agreement for a peaceful resolution of the problems created by the Peaceful Nuclear Program. It was a betrayal of diplomacy and an unprecedented blow to the foundations of international law and the United Nations system.
Let me clarify:
If there is the use of expensive systems and mechanisms created over the past 80 years to maintain human rights and dignity, now is the time to do so.
I need action now. Indifference and inaction should not be an option. Anyone will regret anything less than that. The outcome of this attack war is not limited to a single country. The whole region will suffer. But more than that: the entire UN-based international law system would be at severe risk.
This is a historic moment for human civilization when civilized nations fell into an unjust war of invasion.
The world, every state, every UN mechanism and body must act now to stop attackers, end immunity, and hold criminals accountable for endless brutality and crime in our region.
This is a call from those who allocated his life to dialogue and diplomacy, but also a veteran of the war imposed by the Saddam administration, who knows how to protect his beloved motherland.
thank you.