US Defends Strikes On Iranian Nuclear Sites At UN, Warns Iran Not To Escalate

Forbes Breaking News

Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea defended U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Madam President, and thank you, Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Assistant

00:08Secretary General Miroslav Jenscha, and Director General Rafael Grossi, for your continued attention

00:15on this urgent matter of international peace and security. Madam President, last evening,

00:22U.S. military strikes targeted nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with the aim

00:31of dismantling Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and stopping the nuclear threat posed by the

00:39world's foremost state sponsor of terror. This operation sought to eliminate a longstanding

00:47but rapidly escalating source of global insecurity and to aid our ally Israel in our inherent right

00:56of collective self-defense consistent with the U.N. Charter. For 40 years, the Iranian government

01:04has called for death to America and death to Israel and posed a constant menace to the peace

01:13and security of its neighbors, the United States, and the entire world. Iran has attacked Israel

01:21with hundreds of ballistic missiles and through terrorist proxies. For decades, Iran has been

01:29responsible for misery and countless deaths across the Middle East. Iran's government and its proxies

01:37killed numerous Americans, including American service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. In recent weeks,

01:46Iranian officials have intensified their hostile bluster and rhetoric. Iran has long obfuscated its

01:54nuclear weapons program and stonewalled good-faith efforts in recent negotiations. Madam President,

02:02the time finally came for the United States in the defense of its ally and in the defense of our own

02:09citizens and interest to act decisively. The Iranian regime cannot have a nuclear weapon. Let us be clear,

02:20Iran should not escalate. As President Trump said, any Iranian attack, direct or indirect, against Americans or

02:30American bases will be met with devastating retaliation. To fulfill its core mission of maintaining

02:37international peace and security, this Council must call upon the Iranian regime to end its 47-year effort

02:46to eradicate the State of Israel, to terminate its drive for nuclear weapons, to stop targeting American citizens

02:54and interests, and to negotiate peace and good faith for the prosperity and security of the Iranian people

03:01and all other states in the region. Madam President, a member state here today cast aspersions

03:10about hypocrisy and raised the forthcoming meeting on UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

03:18In that regard, I would point out that the recent IAEA report on verification and monitoring of Iran's

03:26noncompliance with obligatory nuclear safeguards shows clearly that Iran has been continuing to accelerate

03:33its nuclear activities without any credible civilian justification. We look forward to discussing the

03:41implications of this report and its broader implications on Tuesday when the Secretariat briefs on

03:47the report on implementation of UNSCR 2231. Thank you, Madam President.

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