The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday held an emergency public meeting on the situation in the Middle East, with representatives of the United States and Iran expressing opposing views over recent escalations in the region.
Tensions have been inflamed after an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday targeted a southern suburb of Beirut, reportedly killing Hezbollah's top military commander, Fouad Shokor, who was allegedly behind a cross-border rocket attack that killed 12 young people in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Saturday.
This was followed on Wednesday by the death of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in the Iranian capital Tehran after his residence was attacked in an alleged Israeli assassination.
The U.S. said Israel has the right to defend itself, stressing that it did not participate in Israel's air strikes on the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday, and was not aware of or involved in the death of Haniyeh.
"The United States was not involved with Israel's response on July 30 in Lebanon. That said, there is no doubt, absolutely none, that Hezbollah was responsible for this attack, which used an Iranian weapon and was launched from a portion of Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah," Robert A. Wood, alternate representative of the United States for special political affairs in UN, said at the meeting.
In response, the Iranian representative said the assassination of Haniyeh would not have been possible without the authorization and intelligence support of the United States, and also accused the U.S., the UK and other countries of obstructing the Security Council in adopting a media statement condemning Israel.
"The responsibility of the United States as a strategic ally and main supporter of the Israeli regime in the region cannot be overlooked in this horrific crime. This act could not be occurred without the authorization and intelligence support of the U.S. The continuation of Israel's aggression threatens peace and stability in the region. The international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, cannot remain indifferent to such heinous crimes and must take decisive action to address this violation and hold the perpetrators accountable," said Amir Saeed Iravani, the permanent representative of Iran to UN.
US, Iranian representatives clash at UN meeting on Middle East situation
US, Iranian representatives clash at UN meeting on Middle East situation
US, Iranian representatives clash at UN meeting on Middle East situation
