Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Ismail Bakai, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in an op-ed published in Tehran Times, called the recent Israeli attack on Iranian territory a “blatant act of aggression that violates all norms of international law.”

According to the diplomat, on June 23, 2025, Israel launched a large-scale military offensive without warning, striking residential areas, infrastructure, and nuclear facilities under the control of the IAEA.

“The missile strike on a residential building, which killed 60 civilians including 35 women and children, is a monstrous crime and a direct violation of the UN Charter and international humanitarian law,” Bakai emphasized.

He pointed out that Israel’s actions pose a threat not only to the region but also to the entire global security system.

Using Iran’s nuclear program as a pretext for the attack, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran believes, is contrived and baseless since the relevant facilities are under full international supervision and intended solely for peaceful purposes. Bakai recalled that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed this fact at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, referring to existing resolutions guaranteeing the inviolability of nuclear infrastructure.

The diplomat also noted that Iran’s response was “lawful, proportionate, and aimed exclusively at military targets,” fully in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which provides the right to self-defense.

“The retaliatory actions were limited to military objects. We strictly adhered to the principles of international humanitarian law and sought to minimize harm to civilians,” Bakai stated.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson sharply condemned the silence of the UN Security Council, calling it “evidence of a crisis in the collective security system.” He recalled that in 1981 the Council promptly condemned Israel’s attack on the Iraqi Osirak reactor, yet today similar aggression goes without international reaction.

In conclusion, Bakai called on the international community to unite: “We urge all countries to condemn this aggression and reaffirm their commitment to the UN Charter.

Sovereignty cannot be a subject of bargaining. Peace begins with responsibility — and the international community must show it is ready to ensure it.”

The Iranian side insists that international institutions must not allow law to be replaced by brute force and that Israel should be held accountable for systematic violations of international norms.