Iran demands reparations from 5 Arab states over alleged role in ‘US-Israeli aggression’
Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative Amir-Saeid Irav rejected the compensation demands of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan in his letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Security Council President Jamal Fares Alrowaiei.
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The letter stated that under current circumstances, these countries “cannot legally invoke Article 51 (right of self-defense) of the UN Charter against Iran for facilitating US-Israeli aggression.”
In the letter, the envoy claimed that Tehran was a “victim of attack” and exercised its natural right of self-defense.
According to the letter, in some cases “unlawful armed attacks against civilian targets inside Iran are carried out directly by these states.”
The Iranian mission called on the five countries to immediately stop “actions contrary to international law” by allowing their territory to be used for attacks and, in some cases, directly participating in such actions, Press TV reported. He also argued that these actions amounted to a violation of international obligations and gave rise to the responsibility of states under international law.
Iravani reiterated that countries must “pay full compensation to the Islamic Republic of Iran, including compensation for all material and moral damages suffered as a result of its actions contrary to international law.”
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In a letter sent on Monday, Iravani condemned Washington’s move as an “illegal act of aggression” that threatens regional and international peace and security.
Iravani said, “The imposition of a naval blockade is a grave violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” he wrote, adding that the measure was made public by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on April 12.
He said the US action violated Article 2, paragraph 4, of the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force, and constituted a “textbook example of aggression under international law.”
The ambassador added that the illegal blockade also seriously violates the fundamental principles of international maritime law.
“By attempting to block maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports, the United States is illegally interfering with the exercise of the sovereign rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran and violating the rights of third states and legitimate maritime trade in accordance with international law,” the letter said. The statement was included.
Iravani stressed that Iran “unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms rejects and condemns the illegal action of the United States” and said Tehran reserves its “inherent right” to “take all necessary and proportionate measures to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests.”
He also warned that the United States “takes full responsibility for this internationally wrongful act and all its consequences, including its effects on regional and international peace and security.”
Calling for urgent international intervention, the Iranian envoy called on the UN Security Council to condemn the blockade and take steps to stem tensions, saying the situation posed a serious threat to stability in an already unstable region.
