Iran and Israel starkly disagreed on Tuesday on the efficacy of diplomacy in resolving the ongoing tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program, which recently sparked a 13-day violent conflict between the two nations.
In a heated session at the UN Security Council, Iran's Ambassador to the UN, Amir Iravani, emphasized diplomacy as a crucial tool for addressing the nuclear issue with both Israel and the broader international community. He insisted that Iran had not initiated the recent conflict.
Iravani reiterated his country's commitment to resolving nuclear and sanction issues through diplomatic channels, urging the Security Council to condemn the attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran's nuclear facilities, which are protected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon argued that diplomacy with Iran had failed.
He defended Israel's military actions, describing them as essential to counter what he called a "double existential threat" from Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Danon claimed that Israel, with U.S. coordination, achieved complete air superiority and neutralized key targets.
The Israeli envoy accused Iran of using diplomacy as a facade to advance its nuclear ambitions. The United States echoed the call for Iran to return to negotiations, with Acting U.S. Permanent Representative Amb. Dorothea Shea criticizing Iran's increased nuclear activity as lacking any credible civilian justification.
The UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward supported the ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump but underlined the fragility of the situation, urging a swift return to diplomatic talks. The European Union also stressed that a lasting resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue is achievable only through negotiation, not military action.
EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis reaffirmed the priority of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The UN political affairs chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, highlighted the importance of the fragile ceasefire as a chance to avert catastrophic escalation and pursue a peaceful resolution.
The UN reiterated its appeal for diplomacy, emphasizing that the goals of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the related UN resolution remain unfulfilled. The JCPOA, an agreement involving Iran and the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council along with the EU, aims to ensure Iran's nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes in exchange for sanctions relief.
