Senior adviser to Leader: No world power can stop Iran from reaching its legitimate rights
Ali-Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on international affairs, says Iran will work to hold the United States accountable for strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In a statement on Friday, Velayati said Iran held the United States responsible for “this unacceptable crime” and said Washington had to compensate for all material and spiritual damage from the strikes.
Velayati said Iran would pursue its path to scientific progress and technological independence and no power could stop Iran from reaching its legitimate rights.
The following is an English translation of his statement in full:
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Early on the 10th day of the Zionist regime’s criminal war of aggression on the Iranian nation, the U.S. government conducted military attacks against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities. The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns this unjust military aggression, which led to serious damage to Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, holds America’s law-breaking government responsible for this unacceptable crime, and states that the U.S. government must take action to compensate for material and spiritual damage and be accountable.
This criminal action taken by America, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, is an obvious instance of the contravention of international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter (specifically Paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the Charter, which clearly states the necessity of refraining from the use of force in international relations), is an open violation of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, specifically contravenes Security Council Resolution 2231, and is considered to be discrediting the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons (N.P.T.).
The Islamic Republic of Iran stresses that the country’s nuclear facilities operate with entirely peaceful purposes and within the framework of international commitments, including under the N.P.T. and under the constant supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (I.A.E.A.). Nevertheless, some European governments, instead of differentiating between Iran’s legitimate rights and its enemies’ illegal activities, with their silence and sometimes support have sided with America and the Zionist regime and have weakened the principles and norms of international law.
By exercising its lawful right to hold the aggressors accountable, the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically states that it has on its agenda the legal and diplomatic pursuit of the matter of the act of aggression through relevant international bodies, especially the United Nations. These strikes are considered clear violations of the binding principles of international law, and the esteemed Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the Security Council are expected to act based on their legal and ethical responsibilities to enforce Article 39 of the United Nations Charter, so that, in addition to the recognition of the aggressors, necessary and punitive action is taken with regards to the aggressors and aggressor regimes are bound to compensate for material and spiritual damage to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian nation has always stood against pressure, threats, and aggression, and will never surrender. It will take its future steps on the path to scientific progress, technological independence, and national pride with more determination, and no power can stop the Iranian nation from reaching its legitimate rights.
