Envoy Claims Iran Has No Regional Proxies – OpEd

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations Saeed Iravani disavowed claims leveled by the Israeli regime that Tehran has regional proxies by which it makes operations in the region, adding that such allegations are made to obscure and justify the Israeli regime’s acts of aggression and destabilizing measures.

In a letter to President of the UN Security Council Pedro Comissario Afonso and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres dated May 7, 2024, Saeed Iravani rejected the allegations that the representative of the Israeli regime has made against Iran.

The full text of the letter from Iravani is as follows:

I am writing to you in response to the letter dated April 19, 2024 from the representative of the Israeli regime to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2024/324), wherein the representative of the Israeli regime resorted once more to lies and misinformation to make unfounded accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Further to our letters dated April 13 and 30, (S/2024/305-S/2024/349), I would like to emphasize the following:

The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects unequivocally and strongly all unfounded accusations in the aforementioned letter.

Contrary to unfounded claims, Iran has consistently upheld international law, adhered to the principles of the UN Charter, and complied with UN Security Council resolutions.

Moreover, Iran has played an active role in promoting international peace and security through its constructive involvement across multiple spheres.

In the letters dated April 13 and 30 (S/2024/305-S/2024/349), the Islamic Republic of Iran made a clear position that the action taken on April 13, was conducted directly and officially from Iran in response to the Israeli recurring military aggressions, particularly its armed attack on April 01 against Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic.

Iran’s action was necessary, legitimate, and fully in line with its inherent right to self-defense under the UN Charter.

The action only targeted military objectives and was carried out carefully and with prior notification to prevent civilian harm.

I wish to emphasize that no resistance groups were involved in Iran’s legitimate action and any assertions to the contrary are rejected.

In contrast to Israel’s assertions, Iran does not have proxies in the region, and no individual, group, or nation operates under Iran’s directive.

Additionally, resistance groups are not proxies; they are legitimate groups and their actions are lawful, and engaged only in fighting against Israeli occupation and aggression in Gaza and other occupied territories in Palestine, as well as against occupied forces in other nations in the region.

Israel’s attempt to label them as “proxies” is only to obscure and justify its own acts of aggression and destabilizing actions in the region.

It is indisputable that the Israeli regime, characterized by a long history and record of blatant violations of international law, the UN Charter, and UNSC resolutions, remains the primary and longstanding threat to international peace and security.

Any cynical attempt by this regime to obscure this reality through disinformation, smear campaigns, or unsubstantiated accusations against others is both futile and groundless. The Israeli regime cannot deny its direct and full responsibility for the ongoing massacre and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza in defiance of UNSC resolutions.

An obvious example of the Israeli regime’s persistent disregard for UNSC resolutions is exemplified in the Security Council’s resolution 2728 (2024), which urgently demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Despite clear demands from the Security Council, the occupying regime persists in its ruthless warfare against the Palestinian people and its military attacks in Rafah in blatant contempt for the Security Council’s demands.

The occupying regime must finally bear full responsibility for the consequences of its actions and the Security Council must address Israel’s persistent destabilizing and irresponsible actions, as well as its atrocities against the Palestinian people and other nations in the region.

These actions pose a genuine threat to both regional and international peace and security, demanding immediate attention and decisive action from the Security Council.

I wish to take this opportunity to strongly condemn and unequivocally reject the baseless accusations and inflammatory rhetoric statements made by the Israeli regime’s representative against my Country and Iranian high-ranking officials during the UN General Assembly debate held on May 01, addressing the United States veto of the Security Council draft resolution on the State of Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations.

The aim of such baseless allegations and hate speech as well as blaming the UN and its officials is merely an attempt to divert international attention away from the ongoing heinous atrocities and acts of genocide perpetrated by this apartheid regime against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.