UN Secretary General Condemns US and Israeli Strikes on Iran: ‘Grave Threat to International Peace’

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres “condemned” the United States and Israel for the military strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during an emergency U.N. session on Saturday evening.

Guterres also condemned Iran for subsequent attacks that violated the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates” — but did not mention Iranian missiles that rocked Tel Aviv. 

“International law must always be respected,” he insisted at the last-minute New York City summit.

Guterres continued, “”We are witnessing a grave threat to international peace and security. Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz spoke about 40 minutes later. Waltz said the U.S. and Israeli strikes were warranted, considering Iran’s “wholesale slaughter” of its citizens and attacks that have killed thousands of Americans over the years. He also pointed to Iran’s theocratic regime funding Islamic terrorism around the globe.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. That principle is not a matter of politics, it is a matter of global security,” Waltz said. “And to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions.”

He continued by saying Iran’s presence at the U.N. meeting “makes a mockery” of the entire organization, and that it was absurd the regime would have the audacity to “attempt to lecture us about humans rights and the rule of law.”

“But where the U.N. lacks moral clarity, the United States of America will maintain it,” Waltz added.

The meeting was called shortly after the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes against Iran early on Saturday. Those strikes killed Khamenei — who had been the supreme leader since 1989, 10 years after the Islamic Revolution hit Iran; more than 40 other top regime officials were killed during the attack, Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported on Saturday afternoon.

“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” President Donald Trump posted afterwards. 

Watch Guterres above via C-SPAN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!