Iran condemns U.S. threats as war crimes
Tehran urges UN action after talks with Russia
Iran’s foreign minister denounced U.S. threats to target Iranian energy infrastructure as a “blatant admission of war crimes” after a phone call with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, in which both urged restraint and greater international action. Seyed Abbas Araghchi said U.S. and Israeli strikes over the past 37 days have damaged industrial sites, hospitals, schools, residential areas and nuclear-related facilities, calling on the U.N. Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency to condemn the attacks and hold perpetrators accountable.
Araghchi warned against the Security Council’s instrumentalization and urged members to act responsibly under international law. He highlighted risks to the Bushehr nuclear plant and pressed the IAEA to investigate and enforce safeguards. Moscow’s Lavrov echoed concerns, condemning “reckless and illegal” attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure and warning they could trigger humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.
Both ministers stressed the need to preserve diplomatic avenues and urged de-escalation, with Lavrov urging a move away from ultimatums toward negotiations. Their remarks come amid a broader conflict sparked by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes after the assassination of Iran’s then-supreme leader, which prompted Iranian retaliatory missile and drone strikes against U.S. and Israeli positions and regional assets. International bodies have expressed alarm at attacks near nuclear sites, even as independent verification of some claims remains limited.
