Iran Demands Accountability from Israel and US for 'War of aggression'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stern warning that "the whole region and beyond will suffer" if Israel is not held accountable for what Tehran describes as a "war of aggression" involving both Israel and the United States. Speaking at the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, July 6, 2025, Araghchi asserted that the recent attacks on Iranian territory constitute a "stark violation of international law."
According to Iranian state media, Araghchi explicitly stated, "The US-Israeli attacks on our nuclear facilities were in stark violation of NPT [the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and the UNSC Resolution 2231 that has endorsed Iran's peaceful nuclear programme in 2015 by consensus." He further accused the U.S. of "full complicity" in Israel's aggression, citing its "subsequent involvement in this aggression by targeting Iran's peaceful nuclear installations."
The BRICS bloc, in a significant diplomatic victory for Tehran, echoed Iran's concerns in their summit statement. The 11-nation grouping condemned "the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025," and expressed "serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities," without explicitly naming the United States or Israel. They asserted that these attacks "constitute a violation of international law."
This strong stance from Iran comes in the wake of a 12-day bombing campaign by the Israeli military, which commenced on June 13, 2025, targeting Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites across 27 Iranian provinces. Reports indicate that these attacks killed at least 935 people and injured over 5,300, according to Iran's Health Ministry. The campaign culminated in U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Israel claims these strikes were aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and dismantling its ballistic missile program.
In retaliation, Tehran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel, reportedly killing at least 29 people and wounding over 3,400, according to figures released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The conflict concluded with a U.S.-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24 and has largely held since.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and has expressed heightened distrust of international bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the attacks, accusing them of failing to condemn the strikes and passing resolutions critical of Tehran's compliance. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has even ordered the country to cut ties with the nuclear watchdog.
The Iranian government is now pushing for every member of the United Nations to strongly condemn Israel and holds both Israel and the U.S. accountable for what it views as violations of international law, including human rights and humanitarian law. They warn that the aftermath of this "war of aggression" will have consequences far beyond any single country.
