Source: United Nations (video statements)
Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani said, “the world is witnessing how a rogue and irresponsible state, together with an illegitimate regime, is targeting the Iranian schools, hospitals, residential building infrastructure, a sports hall and relief facilities. These attacks have already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians, including women and children.”
Amir-Saeid Iravani told reporters at in New York today (10 Mar) airstrikes on the night of March 7 hit fuel storage facilities in Tehran and other cities. “This attack released large quantities of hazardous and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere,” he said. He cited the Iranian Red Crescent Society as saying the blasts caused “severe air pollution and serious health risks for civilians, especially children, women and elderly, and those with critical health conditions.”
The ambassador said the United States on March 7 targeted a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan Province, disrupting water supplies to 30 villages and putting thousands of civilians at risk.
Iravani said the U.S. president on Sunday “openly expressed pride in the destruction of civilian infrastructure, Iran’s navy and killing of Iranian sailors.” According to the ambassador, the intention was “to terrorize civilians, massacre innocent people and cause maximum destruction and suffering.”
On the Beirut attack, Iravani said Israel carried out what he called a “deliberate terrorist attack” against the Ramada Hotel in the early hours of March 8, killing four Iranian diplomats. He said those diplomats had relocated to the hotel from Iran’s diplomatic premises after threats were made against those premises, and that the move was coordinated with the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The targeted killing of diplomats on the territory of another sovereign state is a grave terrorist attack, a war crime and a flagrant violation of international law,” he said.
Iravani said the Security Council had remained silent despite what he described as grave violations, and that some council members were “attempting to reverse the roles and position of victims and aggressors.” He said a resolution under consideration would reward Israel and the United States and embolden further aggression.
“Today it is Iran,” he said. “Tomorrow it could be any other sovereign state.”
Iran would defend itself, Iravani added. “We will take all necessary measures to defend our people, our territory and our independence.”