UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council "must act firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity" on the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, said Monday.

Fire blazes and black smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the office of the Hezbollah affiliated Al-Manar TV station in Beirut's southern suburb of Haret Hreik on March 3, 2026.

In a statement to the press, Iravani said the United States, in full coordination with Israel, launched "a second deliberate and unprovoked" military attack against Iran, which was "a calculated act of aggression."

"Major cities and densely populated civilian areas were targeted. Hundreds of innocent civilians lost their lives, many more were wounded," he said.

"This is a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations ... which strictly prohibits the threat or use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any state," Iravani said.

"It is a direct assault on the foundations of international law," he said. "The facts were clear. The aggression was clear. Responsibility also was clear."

Noting that the United States and Israel deliberately targeted Iran's supreme leader and many high military officials, Iravani said targeting the highest official of a sovereign UN member state is "an egregious breach of international law and a direct attack on sovereign equality."

"Such conduct endangered the entire international system," he said.

Iravani also accused the United States and Israel of "deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure," resulting in the death of 165 schoolgirls in a school in southern Iran's Hormozgan province, saying that "these acts constitute aggression. They constitute war crimes. They constitute crimes against humanity."

"The United Nations can not remain silent. Accountability is not optional," Iravani said, adding that "the Security Council must act firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity."

He stressed that there was no imminent threat from Iran, its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, and the country was engaged in serious diplomatic negotiations.

However, "for the second time, the United States chose force over diplomacy and violated the Charter. There are no legal grounds that justify this attack," he stated.

"Iran is exercising its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter," and its response is "lawful, necessary, and proportionate" by targeting only the military objectives of the hostile forces, Iravani said.

"Iran does not seek war. Iran does not seek escalation, but Iran will not surrender its sovereignty," he stressed.