Iran is asking the United Nations to punish the United States and Israel — and to order them to pay up. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council on Wednesday to take “appropriate measures” against the United States and Israel and to order reparations for June strikes on Iranian sites, according to Reuters and Iranian state media.
Tehran’s demand is based on President Donald Trump’s recent statement that he was in charge of Israel’s initial attack. Reuters reported that spokespersons for the U.S. mission to the U.N. and for Guterres’ office did not immediately comment on the letter.
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According to Iranian state media, the letter demands that Washington “fully compensate Iran and Iranian citizens for the material and moral damages” resulting from the strikes. To that end, Tehran’s letter calls for an emergency Security Council session, an independent investigation, sanctions and a U.N. General Assembly condemnation. The letter also notes that inspections of the damaged nuclear sites remain suspended under Iranian law.
Why Tehran says the US is responsible
Iran’s letter argues that U.S. officials, including Trump, bear “criminal responsibility” for “war crimes.” Tehran’s case is grounded in Trump’s Nov. 6 remarks, in which he stated, “Israel attacked first. I was very much in charge of that.”
Iran’s U.N. representative called this “incontrovertible evidence” of U.S. control over the 12-day air war, which Iranian state media reports killed more than 900 people, including military officials.
What the US and UN said so far
This is not the first time Iran has made this demand. State media reported that Tehran first requested U.S. compensation in July, but the U.S. State Department dismissed the idea in August as “ridiculous” and rejected any liability. As of Wednesday, Reuters reported that spokespersons for the U.S. mission and the U.N. Secretary-General had not commented on the new letter.
The formal demand for accountability comes amid other diplomatic signals. Reuters noted that last month, Trump said Washington was “prepared to make a deal” with Iran, adding that the “hand of friendship and cooperation is open.” Separately, Araghchi’s deputy foreign minister said this week that Iran wants to reach a peaceful nuclear agreement with the U.S.
