Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hong Kong & Macao（Public Relations）：Briefing Statement on the Ongoing Unlawful Act of Aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran

【明報文章】On Friday, June 13th, 2025, in a grave act of aggression and armed attack and in violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter—which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state—Israel launched a wave of strikes targeting Iranian civilian, residential, and military sites, peaceful nuclear facilities in Natanz under IAEA safeguards, and significant energy infrastructure, including Iran’s Gas Refinery located in South Pars, and oil depot. This marks an unlawful and unprecedented escalation in the West Asian region with significant and dangerous military and economic implications globally.

The victims of these ongoing unlawful and armed attacks—including senior military officials, civilian scientists, university professors, and women and children—were overwhelmingly located in residential areas. Many were martyred in their homes while sleeping beside family members in the middle of the night. These deliberate strikes on civilians and populated areas constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

The targeting of the Natanz nuclear facility further violates Article 56 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibits attacks on nuclear installations containing dangerous forces, “even where these objects are military objectives,” if such attacks may cause the release of those forces and result in severe losses among the civilian population. Such actions carry grave risks of mass civilian casualties and environmental devastation, and demand urgent international accountability.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is now exercising its inherent right to self-defense, under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, in response to Israel’s unlawful use of force. Pursuant to this right, Iran is undertaking proportionate defensive measures to defend its sovereign territory and population, repel further aggression, and restore regional peace and security.

Israel bears full legal, political, and moral responsibility for the devastating consequences of the Zionist regime’s unlawful aggression and savage use of force unleashed upon the region.

On June 13th, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, in an official declaration of war, indicated that “the enemy has prepared a bitter and painful fate for itself following the raids.” He added “they committed crimes in our beloved homeland with its satanic, bloodstained hands. It has revealed its malicious nature even more than before by targeting residential areas. So the regime should anticipate a severe punishment. This regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate, which it will definitely see.”

The Supreme Leader further said that “the Israeli regime waged the war and will not escape unscathed from this great crime and assured that there will be no negligence in this regard. The evil and wicked Zionist regime has made big mistake and Armed Forces of Iran will deliver heavy blows to this regime.” He added that “we will respond with strength, and we will show them no mercy.”

Since Friday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces, has undertaken a series of large-scale defensive military operations under the name “True Promise 3”, in response to continued unlawful acts of aggression by the Israeli regime. These operations have targeted multiple Israeli military installations and objectives. Hundreds of ballistic missiles have been launched toward the occupied territories with precision impact. These actions are being carried out pursuant to Iran’s inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and in conformity with the principles of international humanitarian law.

The continuation of Israel’s unlawful aggression with impunity and the absence of concrete international action, poses a grave threat to international peace and security. It endangers global economic and energy infrastructure, disrupts maritime security, and exacerbates geopolitical instability with far-reaching consequences for both regional and global order.

Failure by the international community to take urgent and decisive action against Israeli’s aggression will accelerate the collapse of an already fragile international legal order. It risks plunging the world into chaos, with severe consequences for global energy security, critical trade routes, and international peace and stability.

Zionist regime’s imposed war against the Iranian nation is an attack on the past, present and future of each individual Iranian, and therefore, perseverance, resistance and defense is a national task and a public duty.

We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming messages of solidarity and the voices of support from allies, friends of Iranian nation, and popular movements and freedom-loving people around the world. Their stance strengthens the global condemnation of Israeli aggression and the ongoing genocide.

[Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hong Kong & Macao（Public Relations）]

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