TEHRAN – Recent statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who have threatened unwarranted action against Tehran based on unsubstantiated claims of involvement in Yemeni resistance against Israeli aggression, have drawn a firm response from Iran, with the country’s Ambassador to the United Nations promising a “swift” response to any illegal aggression by Washington or Tel Aviv. 

Amir Saeed Iravani, has formally notified the U.N. Security Council that threats made by Netanyahu to retaliate against Iran for a Yemeni attack on the occupied territories, and the earlier pronouncements from Hegseth suggesting potential repercussions for Iran linked to Ansarullah's anti-Israel operations in the Red Sea, are violations of international law.

“Such inflammatory and belligerent rhetoric, openly threatening the use of force against a sovereign Member State of the United Nations, constitutes a clear and grave violation of the basic principle of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 2(4), and represents a direct threat to international peace and security,” the envoy wrote in a letter addressed to the council, adding that any adventurism by the two parties – whether it be an action against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or national and vital interests of Iran – will be met with a “swift, proportionate, and legitimate response”.

Iravani also noted that Yemeni operations against Israeli-bound or Israeli-owned vessels in the Red Sea, as well as the Arab country’s routine attacks against Zionist targets in the occupied territories, are a natural response to the genocide the regime has been carrying out in Gaza. The Ansarullah movement in Yemen has said it would stop the operations if Israel allows food inside the enclave and ceases its deliberate massacre of Palestinian civilians. 

“The Islamic Republic of Iran remains steadfast in its commitment to regional peace, stability. It does not seek confrontation or escalation. Nevertheless, Iran underscores its inherent right, in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests against any unlawful threat or use of force,” the envoy stated. 

In the past two years, Iran has exercised its right to self-defense by directly responding to Israeli aggression against its sovereignty with two missile and drone operations, codenamed "True Promise," targeting the occupied territories. These defensive actions saw multi-layered Israeli, American, European, and certain Arab defense systems scrambling to intercept the projectiles. Several military sites across the occupied Palestinian lands were successfully identified and targeted by Iran during the 2024 operations. 

Last week, Iran unveiled a new ballistic missile called Qasem Basir, a solid-fuel missile with a range of 1,200 kilometers. Military analysts say the new missile is able to maneuver more effectively and evade missile defense systems.