TEHRAN In a Monday speech at the United Nations Security Council, Iran's Ambassador to the UN, Saeed Iravani, underscored the necessity for lasting peace in Gaza.During a session focused on "the Situation in the Middle East [West Asia], including the Palestinian Question," Iravani stated, "The ceasefire must be transformed into a permanent and sustainable solution," emphasizing the need for "the full withdrawal of Israeli forces" from Palestinian territory.Iravani thanked Algeria for organizing the meeting and described the ceasefire in Gaza as a significant victory for the Palestinian people.He highlighted the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticizing the international community and the Security Council for their "double standards, moral failures, and inaction."He detailed the dire conditions in Gaza, where "families have been wiped out, hospitals and schools destroyed, and critical infrastructure demolished," due to "the atrocities committed by the Israeli apartheid regime.""The blockade on Gaza has turned life for over two million people into a daily struggle, with severe shortages of basic necessities," the senior diplomat stated.Iravani noted that Israel's actions constitute "collective punishment on an unimaginable scale," depriving the population of food, water, medicine, and electricity.The ambassador stressed that the ceasefire, while a positive step, requires further action.He called for not only the delivery of humanitarian aid but also a "robust, comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza."He criticized Israeli officials for their "unwillingness to fully withdraw" and their insistence on maintaining security control, which he argued "undermines these efforts and perpetuates instability."Iravani urged the Security Council to take a united and strong position in "defending Gaza's territorial integrity."Turning to the legal implications, Iravani pointed out that Israel is committing "acts of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity" in Gaza.He insisted that "accountability and prosecution must be pursued" post-ceasefire, saying, "Such crimes cannot be overlooked."Iravani emphasized that "uncompromising accountability is crucial for justice and preventing further atrocities."He asserted that the Security Council should remain "objective and not succumb to the propaganda of the terrorist regime of Israel that seeks to deflect attention from these underlying issues."He also touched on regional stability, calling for the Israeli regime to respect its ceasefire agreement with Lebanon and to withdraw from southern Lebanon after 60 days of the ceasefire agreement.Furthermore, the Iranian official condemned Israel's occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights as a violation of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement and UN Resolution 497, which declared its annexation illegal.Iravani described resistance movements across the West Asia region as a legitimate response to decades of Israeli occupation, aggression, and expansionist policies.Iravani also reaffirmed Iran's support for Palestinian resistance, which he described as "a legitimate response to decades of Israeli occupation, aggression, and expansionist policies," asserting that "resistance movements across the region" are justified under international law.The long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement, which began on Sunday, is structured in three phases, each lasting 42 days.Negotiations for the subsequent phases will commence on the 16th day following the implementation of the deal.
Israel was forced to accept the ceasefire agreement last week after waging 15 months of devastating war on the Gaza Strip, causing over 46,000 Palestinian deaths and injuring more than 110,000 others.The Israeli regime initiated its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following a successful operation by Hamas in the occupied territories.
The operation dubbed al-Aqsa Storm was a response to the Israeli regime's increasing violence toward Palestinians and its repeated desecrations of the al-Aqsa Mosque.