Statement by H.E. Mr. Amir Saeid Iravani Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Before the United Nations Security Council Open debate on the “Protection of the Civilians” New York, 20 May 2026   In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful Thank you, Mr. President. Allow me to extend my congratulations to you on China’s assumption of the Presidency of the Council for this month and commend the Chinese Presidency for convening this open debate. Mr. President, The protection of civilians is not merely a humanitarian concern; it is a binding legal obligation under international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and the Charter of the United Nations. Yet today, civilians are increasingly subjected to deliberate military aggression, collective punishment, and the systematic destruction of vital civilian infrastructure. This tragic reality is evident from Gaza to Lebanon, and most recently in the aggression against Iran. Mr. President, The recent acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran on 28 February once again exposed this harsh reality. During forty days of this unwarranted and savage war, the aggressors have committed grave and systematic violations of international humanitarian law by deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. In one particularly horrific attack, a girls’ school in Minab was targeted deliberately and destroyed completely, resulting in the murder of more than 168 innocent students. These are not collateral damages; they are war crimes. Regrettably, the Security Council has failed to discharge its responsibilities in the face of these grave violations due to the obstruction of a permanent member that is itself an aggressor. The Security Council must not remain silent or indifferent to the repeated and daily basis threats made by the President of the United States against Iran, including explicit threats to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age,” to destroy the country’s energy, economic, and industrial infrastructure, to target Iran’s nuclear scientists and senior officials, and even rhetoric implying the destruction of an Iran’s civilization. The normalisation of such threats of force, acts of aggression, and inflammatory rhetoric by a permanent member of the Security Council sets a dangerous precedent. The United States and the Israeli regime, and those who assisted and facilitated this aggression, must bear full legal and international responsibility for these heinous crimes and serious violations. Impunity for such crimes not only betrays the victims but also threatens international peace and security. No state should be permitted to shield itself behind political protection while violating the Charter and targeting civilians with impunity. To address the root causes of armed conflict and ensure sustainable protection of civilians, the international community must recommit to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter: sovereign equality of states, non-use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, and full respect for the territorial integrity and political independence of states. Mr. President, The Israeli regime is the largest slaughterer of civilians in the world and deserves no response, but certain speakers have once again chosen to ignore the unlawful acts of aggression committed by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, while conveniently disregarding their own role in enabling, facilitating, and politically shielding this brutal war, particularly the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Iran. The measures undertaken by Iran were exercised in the legitimate right of self-defence. Any attempt to distort this reality or to portray Iran’s lawful measures as illegitimate is entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and devoid of any legal basis. I thank you.