Iraq urges UN Security Council action over Israeli strike on Iran

BAGHDAD — Iraq on Friday called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council in response to a major Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, describing the attack as a violation of international law and a threat to global stability.

The Israeli military operation, codenamed “Rising Lion,” was launched June 13 and targeted multiple nuclear and military facilities in Iran. Among those reported killed in the strikes were senior Iranian officials, including Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces. Prominent nuclear scientists, including Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, were also reported dead.

In retaliation, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel. Israeli defense systems intercepted many of the projectiles, with several downed before reaching Israeli airspace.

Iraqi government spokesman Basim Alawadi condemned the Israeli action in a statement, referring to it as “the military aggression launched by the Zionist entity against the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“The Government of Iraq calls on the United Nations Security Council to convene immediately and take firm and tangible measures to deter this aggression, prevent its recurrence, and restore the authority of the international legal order,” the statement said.

Baghdad maintains close relations with Tehran.

The statement emphasized broader principles of state sovereignty, the non-use of force, and peaceful conflict resolution. “The Iraqi government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles of sovereignty, non-use of force, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Alawadi said.

Full statement by Iraqi government spokesperson Basim Alawadi:

The Government of the Republic of Iraq strongly condemns the military aggression launched by the Zionist entity against the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This act represents a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, particularly as it occurred during the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The international community must not remain a bystander in the face of this flagrant breach of international law. Invoking the use of force to impose new realities poses a serious threat to the foundations of the modern international order.

The Iraqi government stresses that mere statements of condemnation are no longer sufficient. The international position must be translated into practical and deterrent actions.

Accordingly, the Government of Iraq calls on the United Nations Security Council to convene immediately and take firm and tangible measures to deter this aggression, prevent its recurrence, and restore the authority of the international legal order. Should existing mechanisms prove incapable of fulfilling this role, the international community must begin a serious dialogue on developing alternative frameworks that ensure accountability, enforce justice, and safeguard global peace.

The Iraqi government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles of sovereignty, non-use of force, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. It also expresses its solidarity with the Iranian people and with all peoples and nations who believe in a just international order based on respect for rules rather than their violation, and on the rule of law, not the law of the jungle.