Iran calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting over deadly Israeli airstrikes

Reuters

Iran has demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed dozens, including top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, in what Tehran calls a “declaration of war.”

In a formal letter submitted by Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations, Tehran condemned the Israeli airstrikes as a “clear act of aggression” and urged the Security Council to intervene.

The letter stressed that the attacks amounted to a “declaration of war” and reaffirmed Iran’s right to legitimate self-defense under international law, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

At least 86 people were killed and 341 others injured in the early-morning Israeli strikes, which targeted facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program and long-range missile systems, the Fars news agency reported. The death toll includes senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

Israel launched the assault using around 200 fighter jets, according to regional media, marking one of the largest operations it has ever conducted against Iranian territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes as a “targeted” operation, saying they would continue “as long as necessary” to neutralize perceived threats.

In response, Iran has vowed “severe punishment” and intensified its calls for international condemnation of Israel’s actions.

The attacks have also cast a shadow over the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, which had been mediated by Oman. A planned sixth round of indirect talks scheduled for Sunday is now expected to be canceled, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Former US President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation via Truth Social, saying he had given Iran “chance after chance to make a deal” and urged Tehran to do so “before it is too late.”

The developments mark a sharp escalation in regional tensions and have sparked growing international concern over the potential for broader conflict in the Middle East.

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