We express our profound concern regarding the dangerous escalation of tensions in the Middle East. We strongly condemn the military actions undertaken by the State of Israel on the night of June 13, which constitute a clear violation of the UN Charter as well as established principles of international law.

Unprovoked military strikes against a sovereign member state of the United Nations, against its citizens, peaceful cities, and critical nuclear energy infrastructure facilities, are totally unacceptable. The international community must not ignore such acts, which not only jeopardise peace but also undermine security both in the region and globally.

The timing of these attacks appears to be particularly cynical as they have occurred amidst a session of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and just ahead of the next round of indirect talks between representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States. These actions have drastically undermined the progress of painstaking multilateral diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and seeking solutions to eliminate suspicions and the bias surrounding Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme.

It is evident that West Jerusalem has made a deliberate decision to further escalate the situation and raise stakes. We have warned on numerous occasions about the destabilising effects of military ventures that threaten peace and security in the region. The full responsibility for the consequences of these provocative acts lies with the Israeli leadership.

We are closely monitoring the actions by the IAEA, which carries significant responsibility in this challenging situation. IAEA personnel, alongside citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, have also been exposed to Israeli strikes. We expect the IAEA Director General to provide balanced and objective assessments of the current developments – in particular, a comprehensive analysis of the potential radiological consequences of the attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran.

We also hope that the Western countries, which provoked the recent wave of anti-Iran hysteria at the IAEA Board of Governors, once again pushing through a short-term resolution tailored to suit their political preferences and entrenched phobias, despite its lack of broad international support, will come to realise the dangerous consequences of their destructive approach as well as the degree of responsibility they bear for the unfolding tragedy.

We strongly believe that, regardless of any justifications that may be offered by those who planned, developed, and carried out the attacks, the issue of the Iranian nuclear programme cannot and must not be resolved by military means. A sustainable settlement is only possible through peaceful, political, and diplomatic efforts. We sincerely hope that this understanding will ultimately prevail. We call on the parties to exercise restraint to avoid further escalation and prevent a full-scale war in the region.

In this context, we note that the US is ready to hold another round of talks with Iran on the latter’s nuclear programme in Oman.