FULL SPEECH: Iran’s Abbas Araghchi Exposes US-Israeli School Strike, Demands Global Justice at UNHRC

Man, distinguished delegates, dear

colleagues, Iran stands today amid the

throws of an illegal war imposed by two

bullying nuclear armed regimes, the

United States and Israel. This war of

aggression is blatantly unjustified and

brutal. They initiated the this

aggression on 28th February while Iran

and the United States were engaged in a

diplomatic process to resolve Americans

alleged concerns over Iran's nuclear

program. They betrayed diplomacy for a

second time in the course of nine months

by torpedoing the negotiating table.

Among the most harrowing manifestations

of this aggression was the calculated

phased assault on Shajarata Elementary

School in the city of Minab, south of

Iran, where more than 175 students and

teachers were slaughtered in cold blood.

This barbaric attack is but the visible

tip of a far bigger iceberg, one that

conceals

beneath its surface far graver

catastrophes, namely the normalization

of the most abhorren violations of human

rights and humanitarian law and the

audacity to commit atrocity crimes with

impunity.

Mr. president. At a time when the

American Israeli aggressors in their own

assertions possess the most advanced

technologies and the highest precision

militarian data systems, no one can

believe that the attack on the school

was anything other than deliberate and

intentional. Targeting Shajal school was

a war crime and a crime against

humanity. one that demands unequivocal

condemnation by all and unambiguous

accountability for the culprits. This

atrocity cannot be justified, cannot be

concealed

and must not be met with silence and

indifference.

The attack on Shaj school in Minab was

not a mere incident nor a

miscalculation. The United States

contradictory remarks aimed at

justifying their crime could not in any

manner elude their responsibility.

To denounce such a merciless assault on

a place inherently civilian, a place

where the most innocents reside and

pursue knowledge, is not merely a legal

obligation under human rights

frameworks. It is a moral and human

imperative. Our conscience will judge us

more profoundly than any tribunal

ever could. Distinguished delegates,

Shaj Elementary School has not been the

only casualty of American Israeli

atrocity crimes during the past 27 days

of their illegal war. Human rights and

international humanitarian law have been

massively and systematically violated by

the invaders in an unprecedentedly

brutal manner. They are targeting

civilians and civilian infrastructures

with no regard for laws of war and basic

principles of humanity and civility.

More than 600 schools have been

demolished or damaged across Iran and

more than 1,000 students and teachers

martyed or wounded. As as the result,

the aggressors who are arrogantly

shouting no mercy, no quarters, and

threatening to strike Iran's vital

infrastructure have been attacking

hospitals, ambulances, health workers,

red crescent rescuers, refineries, water

sources, and residential areas. War

crime and crime against humanity are not

sufficiently describing the gravity of

the atrocities they are committing.

Digressors targeting pattern accompanied

by their rhetoric leave little doubt as

to their clear intent to commit

genocide. Distinguished colleagues, this

unjust war of whims by the United States

and Israel against the noble nation of

Iran is the direct result of silence in

the face of earlier manifestations of

lawlessness and atrocity in occupied

Palestine, Lebanon, and elsewhere.

Indifference and silence in the face of

injustices would bring no security and

peace. It would invite more insecurity

and right violations. The United Nations

and the core values it embodies as well

as the overall human rights framework

are at serious stake.

You all need to call out the aggressors

and let them know that the community of

states, the human collective conscience,

hold them accountable for the abhorrent

crimes they are committing against

Iranians. Iran has never sought to war.

Iranians are a peaceful, noble nation,

inheriting one of the richest

civilizations on earth. Yet they have

demonstrated absolute resolve and

determination to defend themselves

against the brutal aggressors who know

no boundary in perpetrating all sorts of

crimes. A defense that shall persist as

long as needed. And thank you for your

attention.

Thank you.

Before we proceed with the list of

speakers, allow me to re request to all

delegations to deal with human rights

issues with dignity and also remind uh

all of you to adhere to the

wellestablished principles of the United

Nations and this includes to uphold UN

standards when referring to countries.

The list of speakers is now closed

and we we shall now begin with the list

of members of the council and I give the

floor to the distinguished

representative of Norway on behalf of a

group of countries.

>> Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of

Iceland and Norway, we welcome this

urgent debate. The Middle East is on

fire. Human suffering is severe and

immediate. Beyond the region, it has

growing and profound consequences on

global stability, on energy and food

security.

We are deeply alarmed by the human

rights and humanitarian crisis caused by

the warfare with civilians displaced,

injured, and killed across the region.

On the first day of the war, more than

170 children were deplorably killed when

the girl school in Minab was hit. And

since then, several schools, hospitals,

energy, infrastructure, and other

civilian objects have also been hit,

increasing risk to all civilians.

This is unacceptable.

We call on all parties to respect IHL

and to use the tools of the safe schools

declaration to protect children and

education.

Neither the US and Israeli strikes

against Iran, nor the Iranian attacks on

countries in the region are in

accordance with international law.

The human rights situation in Iran,

especially with regards to women and

girls, is intolerable.

Once again, we call on the Islamic

Republic of Iran to respect all human

rights for all.

President, we call on the parties to end

the war and to find diplomatic solutions

to unlock the current stalemate in the

region. Thank you.

>> Thank you. I now give the floor to the

rep distinguished representative of the

European Union.

>> Mr. President, I speak on behalf of the

EU. Albania, Bosnia and Helgo,

Lienstein, North Macedonia, Moldova,

Montenegro, and Ukraine align themselves

with this statement. The EU deplores the

loss of all civilian life and calls for

an immediate end to strikes against

civilian infrastructure. We call for

deescalation and restraint, protection

of civilians and respect of

international law, including the UN

charter, by all parties. We are deeply

saddened by the loss of children's lives

in Iran, including those killed in the

strike against the school in Minab. The

EU calls on all parties to take all

measures to ensure children's rights are

fully respected. Attacks against

civilian objects constitute a violation

of IHL. We call on all parties to take

necessary measures to protect children,

including ensuring that civilian

facilities are not attacked. The EU

calls on Iran to seize violence and

repression against its own people. The

EU calls for the respect of the rights