Letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Antonio Guterres Secretary-General of the United Nations and Michael

The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a letter simultaneously sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres and the President of the United Nations Security Council Michael Imran Kanu pointed out that the admission of the US president to leading the aggressive action of the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

 

Excellency,

 Pursuant to my previous letters dated 13 June 2025 (S/2025/379), 22 June 2025 (S/2025/405) and 28 June 2025 (S/2025/429) concerning the brazen acts of aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime from 13 to 24 June 2025 against my country, I am writing to bring to your attention the recent statement by the President of the United States concerning the US’ leading role in the acts of aggression of the Israeli regime and war crimes of its agents against the Islamic republic of Iran.

 On 6 November 2025, the President of the United States stated that: “Israel attacked [Iran] first. That attack was very, very powerful. I was very much in charge of that”. Under international law, this constitutes clear evidence of the direction and control of the United States with respect to the said unlawful acts. As informed earlier, the act of aggression by the Israeli regime and the United States was carried out against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and in blatant violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter; it included attacks against civilians and civilian objects in clear disregard for principles of international law and international humanitarian law leading to the martyrdom of more than 1100 innocent people and injury of many others, as well as wanton attacks against civilian infrastructure including Iranian peaceful nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguard in blatant violation of the UN Charter, the final documents of the NPT Review Conferences, IAEA resolutions (e.g. No. 444 and No. 533) and UN Security Council Resolution 487 of 1981. International responsibility for the said violations is therefore attributed not only to the Israeli regime but also to the United States including for directing and controlling the former.

Based on the foregoing, the United States is under an obligation to make full reparation for the injury caused by the said violations against Iran and its citizens, including any damage, material and moral. This includes an obligation to make restitution and compensate for the damage caused thereby, under established international law.

In the meantime, the above-said confession also entails individual criminal responsibility of the President of the United States and any other US officials and individuals involved in grave breaches of international humanitarian law including for the crime of aggression, directing deliberate attacks against civilians (including women and children, scientists, university professors, journalists and prisoners among others), targeting senior military officers outside hostilities, launching willful attacks against civilian objects including hospitals and ambulances, Iranian broadcasting center, a prison, and energy infrastructure including peaceful nuclear facilities. This is indeed without prejudice to individual criminal responsibility of all those individuals, including within the Israeli regime, involved in commanding, ordering, committing, or aiding, abetting, and otherwise assisting in the commission of the war crimes including those referred to above.

 Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its full and unimpeachable right to pursue, through all available legal means for establishment of accountability for the responsible States and individuals and also to secure compensation for the damages sustained. It is the solemn expectation of the Islamic Republic of Iran that the United Nations Secretary-General and the Security Council take appropriate measures, in line with their responsibility vis-à-vis maintenance of international peace and security, with a view to ensuring accountability of the United States and the Israeli regime for these gross violations, and to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.

I would be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as an official document of the Security Council.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi

Minister for Foreign Affairs

 

H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres

Secretary – General

 United Nations, New York

 

 H.E. Mr. Michael Imran Kanu

 President of the Security Council

United Nations, New York