Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the United Nations to impose “appropriate measures” against the United States and Israel following military strikes in June targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
In a letter sent Wednesday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council, Araghchi demanded reparations, including restitution and compensation for the damage caused, reported the Reuters news agency.
The demand follows President Donald Trump’s statement last week that he was “very much in charge” of Israel’s initial strike on Iran on June 13. Araghchi said the remark constitutes clear evidence of US command responsibility during the 12-day air war between Iran and Israel, which Iranian state media claims killed over 900 people, including military personnel.
“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,” Araghchi wrote.
Spokespersons for the US mission to the UN and for Guterres’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On June 22, the US joined Israel and struck Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Trump later said that those nuclear sites were completely destroyed, and Araghchi subsequently admitted that “serious” damage was inflicted upon Iran’s nuclear sites.
Iran and the US held five rounds of negotiations, mediated by Oman, on Iran’s nuclear program prior to the conflict, but the talks have stalled since. Major gaps remain between the sides – particularly over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil. The US demands enrichment be cut to zero to prevent weaponisation, a condition Iran has rejected.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said this week that Tehran seeks a “peaceful” nuclear agreement with the United States, but will not compromise its national security.