Iran calls on UN to clearly condemn attacks on diplomatic sites in Syria

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations has urged the Secretary-General and the Security Council to categorically denounce the assaults carried out by armed groups against Iranian diplomatic and consular missions in Syria.

News ID: 85430

Date: 10 December 2024 - 11:30

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations has urged the Secretary-General and the Security Council to categorically denounce the assaults by armed groups on Iranian diplomatic and consular missions in Syria.

In a letter sent on Monday local time to both the Security Council and the Secretary-General, Amir-Saeid Iravani expressed his grievances and called for essential actions to safeguard diplomatic staff and facilities, as well as to avert future incidents like that.

He emphasized that these acts constitute a blatant infringement of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), which ensure the protection of diplomatic premises and the safety of personnel, as noted in his correspondence.

The complete text of the letter from the Iranian envoy to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the rotating president of the Security Council, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Excellency,

Upon instructions from my Government, I am writing to convey the Islamic Republic of Iran’s grave concern and strong condemnation of the attacks on its diplomatic and consular premises in Syria. On 8 December 2024, amid the escalation of armed groups in Damascus, militants forcibly stormed and assaulted Iran's embassy, resulting in severe damage, vandalism, theft of archives and documents, and destruction of windows, doors, and furniture. The initial footage circulated online also indicates that gunfire may have been directed at the embassy. Similarly, on 29 November 2024, armed groups targeted the Iranian Consulate in Aleppo with short-range shells, endangering consular staff. Following the evacuation of the mission due to life-threatening attacks, the consulate was invaded and damaged.

These actions are blatant violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), which guarantee the inviolability of diplomatic missions and the safety of their personnel.

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises and representatives must be upheld at all times in accordance with international law. No individual, group, or state has the right to commit or facilitate such violations. The Islamic Republic of Iran urges the United Nations Secretary-General and the Security Council to condemn these egregious violations unequivocally and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel and premises and prevent the recurrence of such attacks.

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

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Thanking you