Iran Would Persist in its Defence as Long as Needed: Abbas Araghchi at UN

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday condemned what he described as deliberate strikes by the United States and Israel on civilian infrastructure in Iran, most notably the Minab Elementary Girls school, which he said killed over 160 people.

Addressing the United Nations debate virtually over the fatal school strike, Araghchi called the actions a war crime and urged the international community to unite against what he called injustice toward Iran, underlining that the country would continue to defend itself as long as necessary.

Indicating that silence and indifference would only encourage further violations, Araghchi said that the values of the United Nations and the overall human rights framework were at stake.

He said you all need to call out the aggressors and let them know that the community of states and the human collective conscience hold them accountable for the abhorrent crimes they are committing against Iranians.

Araghchi stressed that Iran had never sought war, and described Iranians as a peaceful nation with a rich civilization, yet resolute in defending themselves against what he termed brutal perpetrators who know no boundaries in committing crimes.

What civilian infrastructures in Iran have been targeted in recent US-Israel strikes?

He said Iran would persist in its defence as long as needed.

He described the strike on the school as deliberate and intentional, adding that it occurred despite the US and Israel having cutting-edge technology and military data systems.

This atrocity cannot be justified, concealed and must not be met with silence and indifference, he said.

Araghchi highlighted that in the past 27 days, besides the school, several other civilian infrastructures had been targeted in the strikes, including Red Crescent rescuers, refineries, ambulances, hospitals, health workers, water sources and residential areas.

More than 600 schools have been demolished or damaged across Iran and more than 1000 students and teachers have been martyred or wounded as a result, he said.

What atrocities against Iran does Araghchi say go beyond war crimes?

Saying that war crimes did not fully describe the depth of atrocities against Iran, Araghchi said the aggressors targeting pattern accompanied by their rhetoric leaves little doubt as to their clear intent to commit genocide.

The remarks come as US and Israeli strikes continue to target key infrastructure in Iran.

Earlier, US President Trump signalled a thaw in operations against Iran, saying that Iran had sought a seven day pause on American strikes targeting its energy infrastructure, but he decided to extend the window to ten days to April 6.

Despite this, the strikes by combined US and Israeli forces continue.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps issued a new warning to civilians in neighbouring West Asian countries.

What threats has Iran’s IRGC issued to civilians near US forces?

In a message posted by Press TV, the IRGC said that the cowardly American Zionist forces, who lack the courage and ability to defend their own military bases, are trying to use innocent civilians as human shields out of fear of the fighters of Islam.

Since it is our duty to eliminate the US and Israeli forces who recklessly kill Iranian civilians and target prominent figures wherever we find them, we advise you to immediately leave areas where US forces are stationed to avoid harm, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces said on Saturday that it had struck the Iranian regime primary facility for the productions of missiles and sea mines in Yazd, Iran.

The IDF claimed that the site was used for the planning, development, assembly, and storage of advanced missiles intended for launch from cruise platforms, submarines and helicopters toward both mobile and stationary maritime targets.

In strikes carried out across Tehran, the Air Force targeted infrastructure and sites used by the regime to produce weaponry, with an emphasis on ballistic missile production sites, the IDF stated.

Which targets did Israel strike in western Iran during recent air operations?

In western Iran, guided by Military Intelligence, the Air Force struck throughout the night at the fire arrays of the Iranian terror regime.

Among the targets attacked were launchers and missile storage sites that pose a threat to the State of Israel.

The IDF said it continues to operate without respite to strike at the regime ballistic missile array with the aim of reducing the scale of fire toward citizens of the State of Israel.

Over the past day, the Israel Air Force struck dozens of infrastructures of the Iranian terror regime in approximately 20 fighter jet sorties in western Iran.

As part of the sorties, the Air Force struck in Kermanshah and Dezful and dropped approximately 70 munitions toward sites used for storing and launching ballistic missiles and air defence systems.

In addition, soldiers of the Iranian terror regime who operated from these sites were eliminated. Following a lull of nearly eight hours, the IDF detected a new ballistic missile attack from Iran.

On Thursday, the IRGC announced the execution of wave 83 of Operation True Promise 4 targeting key American and Israeli military installations across the region with missiles and drones.

According to a statement from the IRGC Public Relations, the operation was dedicated to the warm hearted people of the southern strip of the country in the north of the Ever Persian Gulf and was conducted under the blessed code Ya Aba Abdullah Al Hussein (AS).

The strikes targeted storage tanks and the oil depot in Ashdod, a military personnel site in the Modi in settlement, and a US military information exchange centre in the region.

The IRGC also claimed to have struck American military bases at Al Dhafra and Al Udeiri, along with maintenance and storage hangars for transport aircraft and drones at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

(With inputs from ANI)