-- Press Release --

“Israeli Regime’s Aggression Against Iran: Developments and the Legitimate Response of the Islamic Republic of Iran”

• In early hours of Friday, June 13, 2025, the Israeli regime, in an illegal, inhumane, and aggressive act, attacked Iran, targeting Iran’s senior military officials, nuclear scientists, civilians, as well as the peaceful nuclear facilities—which are under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

• The Israeli regime's unlawful military aggression has led to the tragic loss of many innocent lives. According to reports, Israeli airstrikes targeting residential areas in Tehran and other cities across Iran have claimed the lives of many civilians, including more than 70 women and children, with many more injured.

• In yet another blatant violation of humanitarian law, the Israeli regime carried out an attack on Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah on Monday, June 16, 2025, damaging critical facilities. This latest assault comes just days after the regime targeted Hakim Children's Hospital on Saturday, inflicting further destruction. These repeated attacks on medical infrastructure underscore an outrageous pattern of inhumane behavior and disregard for civilian lives.

• On June 16, 2025, Israeli forces struck the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building, resulting in the deaths of at least three media personnel, including one woman, and injuring several others. This inhumane attack reflects a disturbing pattern of Israeli strikes on media personnel and institutions, raising concerns over its efforts to suppress dissenting narratives and undermine news outlets that report on its military operations.

• By attacking peaceful nuclear facilities under the full safeguards and monitoring of the IAEA the Israeli regime has not only endangered Iranian civilian lives, but also posed an alarming threat to regional and international peace and security by risking a  radiological disaster. Any deliberate military targeting of nuclear facilities under international safeguards constitutes a grave violation of international law.

• The IAEA General Conference Resolutions[1] unequivocally affirm that any armed attack on nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes constitutes a breach of the UN Charter, the IAEA Statute, and fundamental principles of international law. These resolutions emphasize the severe consequences of such attacks, which jeopardize nuclear safety and security while posing an unacceptable risk to regional and global stability. The deliberate targeting of peaceful nuclear installations is not only a clear violation of international law but also an act of aggression with far-reaching destabilizing effects.

• From our perspective, the United States is complicit in these attacks and must be held accountable If the U.S. truly seeks to distance itself from these actions, it must do so unequivocally and publicly. Only through transparent and decisive action can the U.S. credibly affirm its stance.

• Benjamin Netanyahu, the war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC)[2], throughout his decades in power, has consistently engaged the United States in his regional aggressions. All indications suggest that Netanyahu's aggressive strike on Iran was a deliberate attempt to undermine a potential deal between Iran and the U.S., which appeared to be progressing positively.

• The egregious actions of the Israeli regime constitute a flagrant violation of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a direct breach of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, and an clear act of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

• All member states of the United Nations and all governments committed to principles of international law and maintenance of international peace and security must swiftly condemn this criminal aggression and take urgent, collective measures to counter such reckless adventurism. This unprecedented threat to regional and global stability demands nothing less than decisive action.

• The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought conflict and remains committed to diplomatic engagement, particularly concerning its peaceful nuclear program. However, this unprovoked aggression has been unjustly imposed upon us. In accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the inherent right of self-defense, Iran reserves its legitimate and lawful right to respond decisively to such acts of aggression. The Islamic Republic will continue to defend its people, sovereignty, and territorial integrity by all lawful means until such hostile actions cease.

 

• --End--
• [1] Resolutions GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533
• [2] On 21 November 2024, following an investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two senior Israeli officials, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the former Minister of Defense of Israel, alleging responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts during the Gaza war. https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu