Upon instruction from my Government, I wish to refer to the identical letters dated 10 February 2018 from the representative of the Israeli regime addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, containing allegations against my country (S/2018/111). While I categorically and unequivocally reject the misleading information and accusations contained in said letters, which state that the Islamic Republic of Iran deployed a drone to the occupied territories of Palestine, I wish to bring the following to your attention:

These accusations of the Israeli regime against Iran occur against the backdrop of the regime having been the primary source of instability in the region over the last seven decades due to its occupation and expansionist and destabilizing policies.

The frequent encroachments of this regime against the countries of the region, its regular violations of Syrian and Lebanese airspace and its airstrikes against various targets in Syria during the past few years are clear examples of the regime’s destabilizing conduct. While Syria is fighting terrorist and extremist groups in its territory, these airstrikes effectively serve as air support for those groups. There is extensive documented evidence establishing the regime’s military, financial and logistical support for these groups.

The reference to Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) in those letters is yet another attempt by the Israeli regime to weaken the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The regime’s destabilizing nature drove it to work tirelessly to undermine the nuclear negotiations from the very beginning. These destructive efforts have continued even since the Plan was agreed to and enshrined in a Council resolution.

On 17 February 2018, at the Munich Security Conference, Netanyahu threatened, once again, to attack “Iran itself”. This is just the latest in an established pattern of malicious threats and belligerence that has come to define this regime’s behaviour throughout its existence.

The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly calls upon the United Nations and the international community to confront this regime’s expansionist policies and destructive actions. Any silence or passivity in the face of these actions will result in the deepening of the crises in the Middle East and the exacerbation of the region’s current situation.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

Gholamali Khoshroo