SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) - The Embassy of Iran in South Korea issued a formal statement on Tuesday strongly denouncing recent military operations by the United States and Israel against Iranian territory. The embassy characterized the air strikes as a criminal act of aggression and a violation of national sovereignty, asserting that Tehran had pursued every available diplomatic avenue to prevent the outbreak of hostilities.
The statement follows a large-scale military campaign launched on February 28 by the US and Israel, which targeted various cities across Iran. While the coalition stated the strikes were aimed at military and nuclear infrastructure, the Iranian embassy reported that civilian areas were also hit. According to the embassy, an attack in the city of Minab resulted in the deaths of more than 165 female students. Reports from the Iranian Red Crescent Society and news agencies such as Reuters and The Guardian have corroborated that a girls' elementary school in Minab was struck during the opening salvo of the operation.
The embassy emphasized that the military campaign occurred while diplomatic processes between Iran and the US were still underway. The statement noted that Tehran had engaged in negotiations mediated by international partners in early February to fulfill its moral and legal responsibilities and to ensure that no pretext could be used to justify military intervention.
In its communication to the South Korean public and media, the embassy stated that the Iranian people have made every possible effort to prevent war. The embassy further noted that because these diplomatic efforts were met with military force, Iran now maintains a firm defensive posture to protect its territorial integrity.
The Iranian military is currently invoking Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which provides for the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs. The embassy stated that Iranian forces are mobilizing all available resources to repel threats and will hold those responsible for the strikes accountable for what it described as war crimes. This stance comes amid reports from the International Institute for Strategic Studies that the initial strikes killed several high-ranking Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The embassy called on the international community and the South Korean government to condemn the military actions and take effective measures against the participating powers. The statement urged global leaders to uphold the United Nations Charter and ensure that the violation of Iranian sovereignty does not go unpunished.
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