Ali Bahreini made the statement in an address to the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council during the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcome for the Islamic Republic as he pointed to the brutal onslaught by Israel and the United States on Iranian soil between June 13 and 24.
Stressing that the aggression resulted in the killing of hundreds of Iranian citizens, including dozens of women and children, Bahreini said, “The occupying Israeli regime, with direct support from the US, has illegally targeted civilian infrastructure, medical centers, residential areas, and even Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities in its attacks.”
The Iranian envoy described the silence and complicity of some Western countries with the Israeli regime as "a clear norm violation" and emphasized, "The Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept human rights recommendations offered by these countries due to [their] hypocrisy."
Referring to Article 51 of the UN Charter on countries' legitimate right to self-defense, Bahreini said, “We will stand against the Zionist regime’s aggression and will not wait for any foreign institution or country to defend our people and sovereignty.”
He also expressed gratitude to those countries that, based on international principles, issued statements condemning the illegal Israeli-US actions and expressed their support for Iran.
The Iranian envoy censured the Human Rights Council's ineffectiveness in dealing with the crimes of the Israeli regime in Palestine and the region, and proposed the formation of a commission to investigate the role of countries supporting the regime in committing war crimes.
Bahreini also called on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to take a clear and explicit stance in condemning the aggression against Iran and demanded accountability from the US and the Israeli regime for threatening global peace and endangering civilian lives.
Israel launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on June 13, assassinating senior military commanders and top nuclear scientists in targeted strikes before attacking nuclear and military sites and residential areas.
The Iranian Armed Forces responded with missile strikes as part of Operation True Promise III, which targeted many strategic sites across the Israeli-occupied territories.
Iran’s retaliation included the launch of over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel. The attacks killed 28 people and wounded some 5,000 others in the occupied territories.
On June 22, the United States joined the Israeli regime in the assault and bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The 12-day war ended as Israel, having suffered great losses, was forced to accept a unilateral US-brokered ceasefire last week.