Web Desk/AFP

Middle East

A US warplane is reportedly downed over Iran as Israel launches large-scale strikes in Tehran and Beirut, while global leaders push for ceasefire amid escalating conflict impacting regional stability, energy markets and security.

Day 35: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Americas

Iran’s atomic energy organization said US-Israeli strikes on Friday hit the Ardakan uranium processing plant in central Yazd Province, but said the attack caused no release of radioactive material.

All you need to know about the US Israel war on Iran day 28

UNITED NATIONS: The United States and Israel on Saturday defended their attacks on Iran, which called the resulting civilian deaths a &quot;war crime&quot; during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.&nbsp;&quot;The international community has long affirmed a simple and necessary principle: <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-agreed-not-to-stockpile-enriched-uranium-mediator-oman" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon</a>,&quot; said US ambassador Mike Waltz, pointing to past UN resolutions ignored by Tehran.&nbsp;&quot;That principle is not a matter of politics, it&#39;s a matter of global security, and to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Referencing Iran&#39;s recent deadly crackdowns on protesters, Waltz said that Iran&#39;s presence at Saturday&#39;s emergency meeting in New York &quot;makes a mockery of this body.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;But where the UN lacks moral clarity, the United States of America will maintain it,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Israeli ambassador Danny Danon condemned the &quot;hypocrisy&quot; of some Security Council members who criticized the joint US-Israeli attack, but not the retaliation by Iran.&nbsp;&quot;We did not act of impulse. We did not act of aggression. We acted out of necessity because the Iranian regime left no reasonable alternative,&quot; Danon said.&nbsp;Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced the &quot;war crime&quot; of civilian deaths, notably of more than 100 children at Minab School in southern Iran.&nbsp;&quot;It is regrettable that some members of this body, in a blatant double standard, disregard the flagrant act of aggression committed by the US and Israel on Iran, and condemn Iran for using its inherent right to self-defense in the UN Charter,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Iravani notably did not comment on or confirm the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which US President Donald Trump announced moments before the meeting.&nbsp;The mixed views highlighted a divided Security Council.&nbsp;Russia and China only condemned the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-dies-in-israeli-strike-officials-say" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US-Israeli strikes</a>, while others principally targeted Iran. Some were more careful to simply call for deescalation.&nbsp;Gulf states condemned Iran&#39;s strikes against them as &quot;cowardly&quot; in a joint statement read by Bahrain&#39;s ambassador.&nbsp;&quot;We hold the government of Iran fully responsible for these attacks, and we reject any justifications or explanations to justify this hostile behavior or to manipulate rules of international law,&quot; said Jamal Fares Alrowaiei on behalf of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria and Jordan.&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that military action in the Middle East risked triggering uncontrollable consequences in the region.&nbsp;&quot;Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world,&quot; he told the Security Council.

US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is holding an emergency session after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, which has drawn widespread backlash. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday&rsquo;s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Persian Gulf Regions, state-run APP reported on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;I condemn today&rsquo;s military escalation in the Middle East,&rdquo; the UN chief said in a statement as French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address the strikes, which have targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. The meeting will take place at 4 PM (local time, 2 a.m. PST Sunday).&nbsp;In his statement, Guterres, the UN chief, declared that the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/world-warns-against-mideast-war-as-us-israel-strike-iran" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military escalation in the region</a> undermines international peace and security, and recalled that all Member States must &ldquo;respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations,&rdquo; which prohibits &ldquo;the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.&rdquo;&nbsp;He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation and warned that a failure to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.&nbsp;Senior officials added their own responses on Saturday morning: Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that bombs and missiles are not the way to resolve differences but &ldquo;only result in death, destruction and human misery.&rdquo; Civilians, he noted, &ldquo;end up paying the ultimate price.&rdquo;&nbsp;Turk called for all parties to return to negotiations to avoid a wider conflict that would mean further <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israeli-strikes-hit-school-in-southern-iran-kill-40-students" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">civilian deaths</a> and &ldquo;destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale, not just in Iran but across the Middle East region.&rdquo;&nbsp;World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement that he was deeply troubled by the situation and urged leaders to &ldquo;choose the challenging path of dialogue over the senseless route of destruction.&rdquo;

Europe

Security Council is set to meet Saturday afternoon, as requested by France, Bahrain, China, Russia, and Colombia.


UN Security Council holds emergency meeting on Iran after US-Israel strikes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said that at a time when the multilateral system is facing an unprecedented stress, and there are widespread calls for a United Nations that is truly fit for purpose, demands for special privileges and new permanent seats should have no place in the reform discussions. Speaking during the second IGN meeting on the cluster of &ldquo;Categories of Membership,&rdquo; Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, said that Pakistan&rsquo;s position has remained consistent and unequivocal: the addition of new permanent members will not dilute the disproportionate influence of the existing permanent members; rather, it risks entrenching and further expanding it, said a press release shared on X by Pakistan&#39;s Permanent Mission to the UN, on Saturday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025026834132250673&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=c28e7388c936359b389c6946dae3ab6b905b1080&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2025026834132250673">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Two wrongs cannot make a right and a larger oligarchy is no antidote to an elite power club,&rdquo; he said. He said that a circle of permanence within the Security Council, even though expanded, will still remain a closed circle, adding that no wonder some of the P5 are happy to expand this club, primarily to protect what he termed as &ldquo;their own outdated status in today&rsquo;s Council.&rdquo; The Pakistan UN Ambassador suggested a proposal of a meaningful increase in the number of elected, non-permanent members to balance the unequal power of the P5 as part of efforts to make the Security Council more democratic, accountable and representative. He said that this shift in the internal balance of an expanded Council in favour of the wider UN membership will enhance transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in the Council&rsquo;s decision-making process. Referring to Africa&rsquo;s demand for permanent seats in the reformed Council, Ambassador Ahmad explained that Pakistan fully respected and understood the demand, stating that advanced on behalf of and for the entire region, this demand was fundamentally different from other proposals that are divisive as they seek permanent membership for individual States. Addressing proposals for longer-term fixed regional seats, he acknowledged the Co-Chairs&rsquo; efforts to bridge differences and explore middle-ground solutions.&nbsp; He noted that such ideas implicitly recognize the lack of feasibility surrounding the creation of new permanent members and instead point toward models based on longer-term elected seats, re-election, and regional rotation. &#39;Reform for All &ndash; Privilege for None&#39; While describing these ideas as constructive and worthy of consideration, he stressed that any arrangement must avoid evolving into de-facto permanence. Reform, he emphasized, must not result in expanded exclusivity or privilege. In this context, Pakistan reiterated its longstanding position that expansion of the veto is neither desirable nor feasible. The ambassador stated that any viable reform model must ensure genuine rotation and equitable regional representation.&nbsp; This, he said, can only be achieved through a reasonable expansion in elected, non-permanent seats &mdash; including longer-term and regular two-year terms &mdash; particularly to address the under-representation of certain regions. He further stressed the importance of accommodating sub-regional and cross-regional groupings, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), consistent with commitments outlined in the Pact for the Future. Concluding his statement, the ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s readiness to engage constructively and in a spirit of flexibility with the Co-Chairs and all Member States to advance genuine reform. He reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s guiding principle:&nbsp;&ldquo;Reform for All &ndash; Privilege for None.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan told the UN IGN debate Security Council reform must avoid new permanent seats or veto expansion, urging more elected members, genuine rotation, regional equity, and inclusivity.

'Reform for All – Privilege for None': Pakistan outlines vision for UN Security Council reform

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly condemned Israel&rsquo;s unilateral recognition of the so-called &ldquo;Somaliland&rdquo; region, calling it a violation of Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty and international law, during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Monday.&nbsp;Speaking at the UNSC, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;unwavering and steadfast support&rdquo; for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.&nbsp;Ambassador Jadoon described Israel&rsquo;s move as a &ldquo;direct assault on Somalia&rsquo;s internationally recognized borders,&rdquo; stressing that Somaliland remains an &ldquo;integral, inseparable, and inalienable part of Somalia.&rdquo; He emphasized that no external actor has the legal or moral authority to alter Somalia&rsquo;s territorial integrity.&nbsp;Pakistan also highlighted that a group of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, including Pakistan, has jointly rejected Israel&rsquo;s action. The joint statement warned that recognizing parts of sovereign states violates the United Nations Charter and could have serious repercussions for peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea region, and beyond.&nbsp;The Pakistani envoy noted that Israel&rsquo;s recognition comes at a sensitive moment when Somalia is making tangible progress in political reconciliation, constitutional reform, and institution-building under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. He pointed to positive developments in economic legislation, preparations for inclusive elections, and the ongoing transition of the United Nations presence in Somalia.&nbsp;According to Ambassador Jadoon, the first phase of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) has been completed, with the mission scheduled to conclude operations by 31 October 2026. He warned that actions undermining Somalia&rsquo;s unity risk reversing these hard-won gains.&nbsp;Pakistan also acknowledged the sacrifices of the Somali people and their security forces, supported by AU-UN missions, in combating Al-Shabaab, stressing the need for continued international support for Somalia&rsquo;s security and stabilization efforts.&nbsp;Linking the issue to the wider regional context, Ambassador Jadoon expressed concern over Israel&rsquo;s previous references to Somaliland as a potential destination for the deportation of Palestinians from Gaza. He said such actions reflect a broader pattern of destabilization and warned against exporting conflict to the Horn of Africa.&nbsp;Pakistan unequivocally rejected any proposals involving the forced displacement of Palestinians, recalling that UN Security Council Resolution 2803 clearly states that no one will be forced to leave Gaza. The envoy reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s support for the Palestinian people&rsquo;s right to self-determination and reiterated its backing for a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.&nbsp;Ambassador Jadoon called on the Security Council and the international community to speak with one voice against actions that undermine Somalia&rsquo;s unity, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to standing with the Somali government and people in their pursuit of peace and prosperity.

Ambassador Usman Jadoon describes Israel’s move as a 'direct assault on Somalia’s internationally recognized borders.'

Pakistan condemns Israel’s recognition of 'Somaliland' at UN Security Council

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, reiterated on Friday that the State of Qatar &ldquo;reserves its legitimate right to respond in accordance with international law.&rdquo; &nbsp; The prime minister made the remarks at the emergency UN Security Council session on developments in the Middle East, convened in response to the Israeli attack on Qatar, Qatar News Agency reported. He said that under the leadership of Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State of Qatar will continue its humanitarian and diplomatic efforts wherever it can save lives. However, it will not tolerate any violation of its sovereignty or security and retains the legitimate right to respond in line with international law.&nbsp; He emphasized that Qatar is a nation of peace, not war, and has chosen peace as its guiding principle despite provocations from those who seek conflict and destruction. He also expressed appreciation for the Council&rsquo;s adoption of a press statement and for the solidarity shown by member states in condemning the Israeli strike on Doha on September 9.&nbsp; Qatar&rsquo;s role in ending longest war in US historyHe noted that the United States never targeted Taliban negotiators, but instead worked with the State of Qatar, under President Donald Trump&rsquo;s administration, to help end in 2020 the longest war in US history. He stressed that this was the constructive approach that Israel&rsquo;s prime minister is now attempting to undermine with cheap and emotional pretexts. The prime minister said the current Israeli leadership is intoxicated by power and arrogance because it believes it can act with complete impunity. Committed to peaceful resolutionSheikh Mohammed Al-Thani reaffirmed Qatar&rsquo;s strong commitment to mediation and peaceful conflict resolution. He emphasized that Qatar&rsquo;s mediation efforts, in cooperation with Egypt and the United States, have already achieved tangible results, including the release of 148 Israeli and foreign hostages, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The prime minister concluded by reminding the Council that the attack on Qatar was also an assault on all diplomatic efforts aimed at peaceful solutions. He stressed that the only path to peace lies through negotiations, beginning with a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and prisoners, and the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, along with the lifting of the blockade.&nbsp; UNSC voices solidarity with QatarIn a statement released after closed consultations, the 15-member Security Council voiced solidarity with Qatar, reaffirming support for the country&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Council recalled its support for the vital role that Qatar continues to play in mediation efforts in the region,&rdquo; the statement read, adding that the release of hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the suffering in Gaza, must remain its top priority. Pakistan condemns Israeli strike&nbsp;Pakistan strongly condemned Israel&rsquo;s strike on Qatar, labeling it unlawful and part of a broader pattern of aggression, and affirmed its full support for Qatar&rsquo;s right to self-defense under the UN Charter. Speaking at the UN Security Council, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad denounced what he called Israel&rsquo;s &ldquo;unlawful and unjustified aggression&rdquo; against Qatar, according to an official statement released by Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic mission at the UN.&nbsp;Condemnations pour in from across the globeChina condemned the Israeli strike in the strongest terms, calling it a blatant attack on a nation playing a central role in mediation. The United States offered condolences to the family of the Qatari security officer killed in the strike. It said the attack does not serve the goals of either the U.S. or Israel.&nbsp;Russia labeled the Israeli attack a &ldquo;blatant violation of sovereignty&rdquo; and warned of serious consequences.&nbsp;&nbsp;Countries across Europe also denounced the Israeli strikes calling them absolutely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of international law.

The Qatari prime minister made the remarks at the emergency UN Security Council session on developments in the Middle East, convened in response to the Israeli attack on Qatar.

Articles tagged with "UN Security Council"