to report «iusnews»; Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir Saeed Iravani categorically dismissed the baseless accusations about the Islamic Republic’s involvement in retaliatory Palestinian strikes on the occupied territories, and said that it was solely conducted by the resistance movement in Gaza.
In a letter to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Iravani dismissed the allegations, and reiterated that the Palestinian operation was a purely Palestinian decision.
Iravani's letter came days after The Wall Street Journal claimed that the Iranian security officials helped plan Palestinian resistance movement Hamas’s surprise attack against the Israeli regime and gave the greenlight for the operation.
Top Iranian officials have already dismissed the claim while reiterating the Islamic Republic’s support for Palestinian resistance.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically and explicitly rejects any unfounded claim about its involvement in Palestine's response to Israeli occupation and aggression,” Iravani told Guterres in the letter.
“The recent decisions and measures taken by Palestine’s resistance groups are solely determined by the Palestinians themselves and are firmly rooted in the fundamental principle of self-determination,” he added.
Stressing that Palestinian people have endured 75 years of relentless aggression, violence, racial discrimination and apartheid policies imposed by the Israeli regime, Iravani said the occupation of their lands continues with the siege of their cities, the destruction and confiscation of their property and agricultural lands, and the forced displacement of residents from their homes by the Israeli regime.
Denouncing Israel’s ongoing crimes against Palestinians as a clear violation of the norms of international law, Iran’s UN envoy said, “It is regrettable that the international community's response to these severe violations has fallen short in holding those responsible accountable.”
Iravani underlined that the absence of accountability and the deafening silence of the United Nations Security Council have reduced long-standing UN resolutions to mere words.
He further warned against the continuation of Israeli crimes against Palestinians in Gaza and called on the international community to step forward and stop the violence.
“Now, the world is witnessing yet another horrific uptick in atrocities and collective punishment against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip that qualify as crimes against humanity and war crimes, orchestrated by the Israeli regime,” Iravani said.
“Failure of the international community to intervene promptly could lead to a full-fledged humanitarian crisis with far-reaching consequences,” he added.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran urges the international community, United Nations member states, and, in particular, the Security Council to shoulder their responsibilities and take decisive action, compelling the Israeli regime to put an end to its occupation, atrocities, and aggressive actions, and to steadfastly comply with its international obligations, including those under international humanitarian law and human rights law,” Iravani added.
Israel started its aggression on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups launched multi-pronged Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, the largest military operation against the illegal entity in decades.
Last Saturday, Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians. The attacks have so far killed more than 1,300 and injured over 3,800, according to Israeli officials.
Following the multi-front attack by Hamas, Israel carried out heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 2,215 Palestinians, including 724 children and 458 women, and wounding over 8,700 others. Tel Aviv has also ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, saying he would halt its supply of electricity, food, water and fuel.
The Israeli Army has also announced in a statement on Thursday it has dropped more than 6,000 bombs weighing 4,000 tonnes on the besieged enclave since last Saturday. It added that Israel’s air force has hit over 3,600 targets in Gaza
More than 1,300 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed in the Israeli bombardment, according to the United Nations. The world body’s humanitarian agency OCHA reported “5,540 housing units” in those buildings were destroyed and nearly 3,750 more homes were so badly damaged they were uninhabitable.
Human rights groups have stressed that depriving an occupied population of basic necessities is a war crime. A humanitarian crisis is rapidly spiraling in the coastal enclave.
Israel’s military has also ordered 1.1 million people living in Northern Gaza to evacuate their homes, amid signs it is set to ramp up its offensive. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled south following the order. The UN has warned it is “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences".
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has confirmed that nearly 1 million people have been displaced in one week alone.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth, where some 2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. It has been almost completely cut off from the rest of the world for nearly 17 years. More than half of its population lives in poverty and is food insecure, with nearly 80% of its population relying on humanitarian assistance.
Tehran says the history of the apartheid regime is full of assassinations, massacre, torture and killing of Palestinian kids, and described Tel Aviv regime's atrocities and massacre of Palestinian women and children as indicative of the destitute of Zionists. Iranian officials say the Tel Aviv regime has been struggling for more than 70 years to exit its identity crisis which has been mixed with genocide, plunder, forced displacement and scores of other inhumane moves.
