Kathrine Frich
Iran has issued a direct warning to the United Nations.
US President Donald Trump has said he will decide within the next 10 days whether the United States will strike Iran, warning that without a “meaningful” agreement, “bad things” will happen.
With American military assets positioned in the Middle East and speculation that action could come within days, tensions between Washington and Tehran have sharply escalated.
Letter to the UN
In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Iran stated that it would consider American military bases and infrastructure in the Middle East as legitimate targets if attacked by the United States.
According to Agerpres, Iran’s ambassador to the UN invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter, which outlines the right to self-defense.
“If Iran is militarily attacked, it will respond decisively and proportionately, in accordance with the principles of self-defense enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter,” the ambassador wrote.
“In such circumstances, all ‘American’ bases, infrastructure and assets in the (Middle East) region would constitute legitimate targets.”
Rising military pressure
The warning comes shortly after a second round of negotiations between the two countries concluded in Switzerland. The talks did not appear to produce a significant breakthrough.
On the same day, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a speech threatening that a US aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf could be sunk.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have launched military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil shipments. The drills have been widely viewed as a show of force.
Trump sets deadline
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would give himself 10 to 15 days to decide whether to pursue a deal with Tehran or consider military action.
Speaking in Washington, he warned that without a “meaningful” agreement, “bad things” would happen.
The concentration of US naval and air assets in the region has fueled speculation about potential conflict scenarios, as both sides maintain hardline positions.
Sources: Agerpres, Digi24.
