Iran Envoy to UN Alleges Israel Killed Four Iranian Diplomats in Beirut
The ambassador alleged that the assassination of the diplomats “while serving as official representatives of a sovereign state in the territory of another sovereign state is a heinous act of terrorism"
Tehran: Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has alleged that the Israeli government assassinated four senior Iranian diplomats in what he described as a "heinous crime" in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the envoy said that on March 8, the Israeli government carried out a targeted strike at the Ramada Hotel in Beirut, which resulted in the deaths of the diplomats.
Iravani noted that after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had publicly threatened to target Iranian official representatives in Lebanon, the diplomats had been temporarily relocated to the hotel as a safety measure.
In his letter, the ambassador alleged that the assassination of the diplomats “while serving as official representatives of a sovereign state in the territory of another sovereign state is a heinous act of terrorism and a grave violation of international law.”
He further claimed that such a “flagrant breach” of the UN Charter and the 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons could not go unpunished.
Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces said they had conducted an additional wave of airstrikes targeting assets and storage facilities of the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Quard Al-Hassan Association in Lebanon, which Israel claims is used to finance the purchase of weapons and payments to militants, as part of ongoing efforts to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities.
The IDF also announced the elimination of Hassan Salameh, the commander of Hezbollah’s “Nassar” Unit, in a precise Israeli Air Force strike in the Jwaya area. According to the IDF, Salameh had held multiple key positions within the organisation.
Israeli forces on Tuesday (local time) also conducted a combined strike in Tehran and Tabriz, according to details shared by the IDF.
In a post on X, the IDF said the targets struck included a special units command center in Tabriz, an “Imam Hassan” security unit military compound in Tehran, a command centre responsible for ballistic missile launches and artillery fire, a command centre for the Intelligence and General Security Police in Maragheh Province, and a large Basij forces compound in Tabriz.
The developments come amid an escalating security situation in West Asia, with the conflict expanding beyond Iran. Iranian retaliatory strikes using missiles and drones have reportedly targeted US military bases, embassies, and civilian and energy infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf nations including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The conflict has also caused significant disruptions to global energy supplies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes.
