Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has accused the United States and Israel of deliberately striking civilian areas, saying more than 1,300 people have been killed since the conflict began.
Speaking to reporters at a UN briefing on war casualties and continuing US-Israeli attacks, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said strikes had hit “populated residential areas” and “critical civilian infrastructure,” describing the assaults as “horrific crimes.”
According to Iravani, a total of 9,669 civilian sites have been destroyed so far, including nearly 8,000 residential homes. He said commercial centers, hospitals, pharmaceutical facilities, schools, and other educational institutions had also been damaged or destroyed, adding that the number of affected sites was increasing “every day” as strikes continue across Iranian cities.
He further reported that heavy attacks on fuel storage facilities in Tehran and other locations on the nights of March 5 and March 7 released large volumes of hazardous pollutants into the air.
Iravani said rainfall on the morning of March 8 spread the contaminants through “highly acidic precipitation,” raising concerns about respiratory health risks and environmental damage. Medical facilities in Tehran have since been placed on high alert, while residents were advised to remain indoors.
The envoy also argued that the attacks breached international environmental obligations, including commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity. He criticized the UN Security Council, accusing it of “turning a blind eye” to the situation in Iran.
