After the killing of Hezbollah leader in Israel, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Israel’s actions in Lebanon and the entire region. In a letter to the 15 member countries of the UN Security Council, Iravani strongly warned that any attack on its diplomatic premises and representatives violates the fundamental principle of diplomatic immunity and reiterated that Iran will not tolerate such aggression.
Iravani stated, “Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent rights under international law to take all measures to defend its vital national security interests.”
On Saturday, the Israeli military announced that they had killed the Iran-backed Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in an airstrike on Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, the day before.
Hezbollah also confirmed Nasrallah’s death, stating that their longtime leader had “joined his martyrs.” With Iran’s support, Nasrallah had led the terrorist organization for over thirty years, becoming a highly influential figure in the region.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, vowed revenge for the death of the Hezbollah leader and declared a five-day mourning period in Iran in a statement broadcast on Iranian state television.
According to Reuters, two Iranian officials reported that due to concerns about being targeted by Israel, Khamenei has been moved to a secure location within Iran, with heightened security measures in place.
Nasrallah’s death signals a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran, raising fears that the conflict could evolve into a regional war.
However, there are currently no signs indicating that Iran is determined to retaliate or escalate direct conflict with Israel.
The Washington Post reported that Israel’s airstrikes had dealt a devastating blow to Hezbollah, but its ally Iran is not eager to intervene and instead seeks contacts with the West.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made his first speech at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing Israel of committing “atrocities,” “colonialism,” and “crimes against humanity” in Gaza. However, he also expressed a moderate tone, stating that Iran seeks peace, opposes war, has no intention of conflict with any country, and calls for conflict resolution through dialogue.
Last year on October 7th, Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas launched terror attacks on Israel, sparking the Gaza War. The next day, Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel to support Hamas.
This week, Israel launched its most intense airstrikes against Hezbollah since the start of the war, targeting hundreds of locations inside Lebanon. An Israeli military spokesperson announced during a media briefing on Saturday that most of Hezbollah’s top leaders had been “eliminated” in the airstrikes.
(This article incorporates information from Reuters reports)