Zahra Ershadi: Islamic Republic of Iran warns against any possible miscalculation or adventurist act by the Israeli regime

She wrote “I am writing further to letter dated 12 April 2021 (A/75/852–S/2021/347) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, through which we have informed you of a terrorist act by the Israeli regime at the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant on 11 April 2021, disrupting the operations of this sensitive nuclear facility, which has been under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and extensive monitoring.

In his recent interview, the Israeli regime’s Prime Minister has confessed, though implicitly, to Israel’s covert attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and brazenly stated that the regime will continue such attacks.1 It was followed by other shameless threats by the Israeli regime’s Defense Minister to attack Iran, stating that Israel has the means to act and will not hesitate to do so2 as well as the Chief of the General Staff of the regime, who revealed Israel’s plans for launching strike on Iran’s nuclear program.3

The deliberate targeting, by the Israeli regime, of a highly sensitive safeguarded nuclear facility with the high risk of potential release of radioactive material constitutes reckless criminal acts of nuclear terrorism, and serves as another clear example of its continued violation of international law. Bearing in mind that the growing and continuing threat of nuclear terrorism posed by the Israeli regime threatens international peace and security, it is incumbent upon the international community to condemn such criminal terrorist acts in the strongest possible terms.

Moreover, the aforementioned explicit threats against a Member State of the United Nations constitute gross violations of international law, the United Nations Charter, particularly its Article 2(4) and therefore must not be tolerated by the international community and the Security Council.

Only in less than two years, the Israeli regime has conducted countless unlawful overt and covert adventurist measures, including terrorist acts against Iran’s nuclear scientists and centers, attacks against commercial vessels in the region as well as drone attacks and airstrikes against certain regional countries, in material breach of cardinal principles of international law. Unchecked, such continued unlawful acts and systematic provocative measures, with all their serious ramifications, would undoubtedly further destabilize the region and also endanger international peace and security.

Recalling the long record of the Israeli regime in sabotage operations against our peaceful nuclear activities and cowardly assassination of several Iranian nuclear and other scientists in the past (A/65/622-S/2010/634, A/66/656-S/2012/27 and S/2020/1148), as well as the joint United States-Israeli cyber operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities through the use of a malicious computer worm known as Stuxnet, the Security Council must live up to its Charter-based responsibilities and take immediate necessary measures to prevent all destabilizing policies and unlawful and yet adventurist practices of the Israeli regime and hold it accountable for all such measures.

Yet, determined to exercise its inalienable right to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in all its aspects, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns against any possible miscalculation or adventurist act by the Israeli regime. As stated in our previous letters to the security Council, the Islamic republic of Iran reserves its inherent right under international law to take all necessary measures to protect and defend its citizens, interests, installations and sovereignty against any terrorist or disruptive acts.

Seizing this opportunity, I must also categorically reject all unfounded allegations of the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran contained in documents S/2021/710 and S/2021/725.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.