At U.N., U.S. justifies killing Iranian commander as self-defence
UNITED NATIONS: On Wednesday, the United States told the United Nations that last week’s killing of Iranian leader Qassem Soleimani was self-defense and vowed to take additional action “if required” to protect U.S. personnel and interests in the Middle East.
Through firing missiles at military installations housing U.S. troops in Iraq, Iran retaliated on Wednesday for the death of Soleimani. U.S. President Donald Trump said that no Americans were injured, easing concerns that the death of Soleimani and the Iranian response could spark a wider Middle East conflict.
In a message to the United Nations. The U.S. Security Council, U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft said the U.S. is also “ready to engage in serious negotiations with Iran without preconditions, with the intention of avoiding further challenges to international peace and security or the Iranian regime’s escalation.”
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Friday’s killing of Soleimani in Baghdad was justified in accordance with U.N. Article 51. Charter, Craft wrote in the letter, adding “the United States is prepared to take further action in the region as necessary in order to continue protecting U.S. personnel and interests.”
Under Article 51, countries are expected to “report immediately” any measures taken in the exercise of the right to self-defence to the 15-member Security Council. The U.S. used Article 51 to justify action against extremists of Islamic State in Syria in 2014.
Craft said Soleimani’s death and U.S. airstrikes against an Iran-backed militia group in Iraq and Syria on Dec. 29 were “in reaction to a growing series of armed attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iran-backed militias on U.S. forces and interests in the Middle East in recent months.”
He said the goal was to dissuade Iran from carrying out or supporting attacks and weaken its ability to carry out attacks.
Iran has also justified its action under Article 51 of the United Nations. Charter in a statement to the United Nations. This Wednesday, the Security Council. The U.S. letter to the United Nations. After the letter from Iran, the Security Council arrived, diplomats said.
Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi wrote that after exercising his right to self-defense, Tehran “does not pursue provocation or war” by taking “a calculated and proportionate military response targeting an American air base in Iraq.”
“The operation was precise and targeted military objectives thus leaving no collateral damage to civilians and civilian assets in the area,” Ravanchi wrote.
“Seriously warning about any further military adventurism against it, Iran declares that it is determined to continue to, vigorously and in accordance with applicable international law, defend its people, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity against any aggression,” he said
He added that Iran had full respect for Iraq’s sovereignty.
