Israel and Iran accused one another on Sunday at the United Nations of being the main threat to peace in the Middle East, each calling on the Security Council to impose sanctions on their sworn enemy.
鈥楾he mask is off. Iran, the number one global sponsor of terror, has exposed its true face as the destabilizer of the region and the world,鈥� Israel鈥檚 UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan told an emergency meeting of the Security Council convened after Tehran鈥檚 unprecedented attack on Israel overnight.
鈥楾he mask comes off and the gloves must come on,鈥� he said, imploring the body to 鈥榯ake action.鈥�
Erdan asked the Security Council to designate the Revolutionary Guards, the Islamic Republic鈥檚 ideological army, as a terrorist organization and to 鈥榠mpose all possible sanctions on Iran before it鈥檚 too late.鈥�
In particular, he referred to the 鈥榮napback鈥� mechanism that allows members of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- which the United States exited in 2018 -- to reimpose international sanctions against Tehran.
鈥榃e have a collective responsibility as members of the Security Council to ensure that Iran complies with the council鈥檚 resolutions and ceases its violations of the charter,鈥� said Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood.
In the coming days the United States will 鈥榚xplore additional measures to hold Iran accountable.鈥�
Late Saturday, Iran launched a direct attack on its arch foe Israel for the first time, firing more than 300 missiles and drones.
Nearly all were intercepted by Israel and others, including the United States, Jordan and Britain.聽
Iran said its attack came in response to a deadly April 1 air strike on Tehran鈥檚 consulate building in Syria鈥檚 capital Damascus that was widely blamed on Israel.
That attack killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards, including two senior generals.
Addressing the emergency meeting, Iran鈥檚 UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted the Islamic republic was exercising its 鈥榠nherent right to self-defense.鈥�
鈥楾he Security Council... failed in its duty to maintain international peace and security,鈥� Iravani said.聽
Therefore, Tehran 鈥榟ad no choice鈥� but to respond, he said, adding that his country does 鈥榥ot seek escalation or war,鈥� but will respond to any 鈥榯hreat or aggression.鈥�
He also lashed out at Israel.
鈥業t is time for the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and address the real threat to international peace and security,鈥� Iravani said.
The body 鈥榤ust take urgent and punitive measures to compel this regime to stop a genocide against the people of Gaza.鈥�
The rising tensions come against the backdrop of Israel鈥檚 six-month-old war against Hamas in Gaza, which began after the Palestinian militant group鈥檚 October 7 attack in Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
Israel鈥檚 retaliatory offensive has killed聽at least 33,729 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory鈥檚 Hamas-run health ministry.
Since the 1979 Iranian revolution Israel has been considered a sworn enemy by the Islamic republic, which calls for Israel鈥檚 destruction.
Until now, Tehran had refrained from attacking Israel head-on, and the two countries have opted instead to confronting each other through third parties.
On Sunday United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged restraint, telling the emergency meeting that 鈥榥either the region nor the world can afford more war.鈥櫬�
鈥楴ow is the time to defuse and de-escalate,鈥� he said.
Guterres also repeated his condemnation of Iran鈥檚 strikes on Israel, and the attack on Iran鈥檚 consulate in Damascus.聽
鈥業t鈥檚 time to step back from the brink,鈥� Guterres said.聽