TEHRAN – The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has condemned Israel's recent actions aimed at hindering the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees in the occupied territories.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Iravani described UNRWA as the "foundation for all humanitarian efforts in Gaza," a region he described as facing "an unyielding wave of destruction and hardship" due to Israeli actions.
UNRWA, established in 1949, provides essential services to Palestinian refugees, including education, healthcare, and social services. The agency operates primarily in the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, with a significant presence in Gaza.
UNRWA's mandate stems from the ongoing plight of Palestinian refugees displaced following the Nakba in 1948.
Iravani's statement also highlighted that Israel is waging a "genocidal campaign" against the Palestinian population in Gaza, specifically citing the current siege of the northern Gaza Strip and the obstruction of humanitarian aid.
He emphasized that the Israeli regime is violating international humanitarian law and intentionally weaponizing starvation against the civilian population.
The Iranian ambassador further criticized the international community, particularly the United States, for providing unwavering support to Israel, enabling its continued aggression in the region.
“The unchecked impunity exhibited by Israel for its widespread and systematic violations in the Gaza Strip, coupled with the unwavering political, military, and economic backing it receives from certain Western allies, particularly the United States, has only strengthened its aggressive and expansionist strategies throughout the region,” the envoy said.
He also condemned Israel's recent strikes in Lebanon, noting that it poses a significant threat to regional and global peace and security. “Israel has ignored the provisional measures set forth by the ICJ to cease its unlawful actions. It persists in its atrocities in Gaza and Lebanon, actions that amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potentially genocide.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Iravani urged the UN Security Council to take decisive action to halt Israeli military aggressions and avert further violence and aggression.
“The UN must either take decisive action to halt the Israeli military operations and avert further genocide, war, and aggression or allow these atrocities to persist.”
The Israeli regime passed a law on Monday banning the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA from operating in the occupied territories – a move that is also expected to significantly impact its work in war-torn Gaza.
The Israeli officials who drafted the law cited what they described as the involvement of some UNRWA staffers in Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on southern occupied territories and staffers having membership in Hamas and other Resistance groups. None of the Israeli claims have been proven so far.
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