TEHRAN – Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Saeed Iravani stressed the need for lasting peace in Gaza in his speech to the United Nations Security Council on Monday.
In a session focused on the situation in the Middle East (West Asia), including the Palestinian issue, Irabani said, “The ceasefire must be transformed into a permanent and sustainable solution,” adding, “The complete withdrawal of Israeli forces must be ” emphasized the need for Troops from the Palestinian Territories.”
Mr. Irabani thanked Algeria for hosting the meeting and said the ceasefire in Gaza was an important victory for the Palestinian people.
He highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and criticized the “double standards, moral failures and inaction” of the international community and the Security Council.
He detailed the dire situation in Gaza, where “families have been wiped out, hospitals and schools destroyed, and critical infrastructure destroyed” due to “atrocities committed by the Israeli apartheid regime.”
“The Gaza blockade has turned the lives of more than two million people into a daily struggle due to severe shortages of basic necessities,” the senior diplomat said.
Irabani said Israel’s actions amounted to “collective punishment on an unimaginable scale” by depriving its people of food, water, medicine and electricity.
The Ambassador stressed that while the ceasefire is a positive step, further action is needed.
He called for a “robust and comprehensive recovery plan for Gaza” as well as the provision of humanitarian aid.
He criticized Israeli officials’ “reluctance to fully withdraw” and insistence on maintaining security control, which he argued “undermines these efforts and perpetuates instability.”
Mr. Iravani called on the Security Council to take a united and strong position in “defending the territorial integrity of Gaza.”
Turning to the legal implications, Irabani said Israel was committing “genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
“We must pursue accountability and prosecution,” he said after the ceasefire, adding, “We cannot ignore crimes like this.”
“Uncompromising accountability is critical to justice and preventing further atrocities,” Iravani said.
He insisted that the Security Council “must remain objective and not succumb to the propaganda of Israel’s terrorist regime, which seeks to divert attention from these fundamental issues.”
He also touched on regional stability, calling on the Israeli regime to respect the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon and withdraw from southern Lebanon 60 days after the ceasefire agreement is signed.
Additionally, Iranian officials have accused Israel of occupying the Syrian Golan Heights in violation of the 1974 Military Disengagement Agreement and UN Resolution 497, which declared the annexation illegal.
Iravani said resistance movements across the West Asian region are a legitimate response to decades of Israeli occupation, invasion and expansionist policies.
Iravani also reaffirmed Iran’s support for the Palestinian resistance, calling it a “legitimate response to decades of Israeli occupation, aggression and expansionist policies,” and adding “resistance movements across the region. ‘ was justified under international law.
The long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement, which began on Sunday, consists of three phases, with each phase lasting 42 days.
Negotiations for the next stage will begin on the 16th day of implementation of the agreement. Israel was forced to accept a cease-fire agreement last week after waging a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip that left more than 46,000 Palestinians dead and more than 110,000 injured.
The Israeli regime launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following successful operations by Hamas in the occupied territories. The operation, dubbed “Al-Aqsa Storm,” was a response to the Israeli regime’s increasing violence against Palestinians and the repeated desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.