Iran Defends Self‑Defense Claims at UN Amid Gulf Tensions

Iran’s foreign ministry has pushed back against a United Nations statement that framed recent developments in the Gulf as a growing military confrontation.

The ministry argued that the strikes on U.S. installations in Bahrain and Kuwait should be classified as legitimate self‑defence, not aggression. It reminded the UN that the escalation began on 28 February when U.S. and Israeli forces commenced a series of attacks that, according to Tehran, resulted in the death of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Citing United Nations resolutions from 1994 and 1999, the Iranian spokesperson demanded strict adherence to the use of the term “Persian Gulf” in all UN documentation. He called on the UN to urge the Gulf states to cease allowing the United States to use their territories as launchpads for operations targeting Iran.

“The accusation that Iran is violating its sovereignty while the real aggressors escape accountability under international law is utterly unjust,” the statement read on X.

Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the heightened risk of conflict, and UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric appealed for restraint, urging all parties to stop hostilities and return to diplomatic negotiations.