Opening Remarks by H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI before IRAN’s Event on the sidelines of HRC60
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Opening Remarks
By
H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva
Before
IRAN’s Side Event: Human Rights Dimensions of Twelve Days of Aggression Against the Islamic Republic of Iran by Israeli Regime and The United States
Geneva, 12 September 2025
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
Excellencies, Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my honor to welcome you all to this important side event organized by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran. We meet today under the shadow of grave developments that have shaken not only my country but also the very foundations of international law and the human rights system.
In the early hours of 13 June 2025, the apartheid regime of Israel launched an unprovoked and unlawful military assault against the Islamic Republic of Iran. This aggression, followed by further attacks on 22 June by the United States, deliberately targeted civilian neighborhoods, critical infrastructure, and scientific sites. Residential areas in Tehran, Karaj, and other cities were struck, nuclear facilities under full IAEA safeguards were attacked, and even prisons and media centers were not spared. Humanitarian personnel, medical workers, and relief teams who rushed to assist victims were also deliberately attacked, compounding the suffering of civilians and denying them the right to life-saving assistance. The scale of devastation and civilian loss was unprecedented.
These actions represent flagrant violations of the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, and the most basic principles of human rights. Despite these atrocities, the people of Iran stood united in resilience. Our government acted swiftly to defend the sovereignty of our nation, to secure high-risk facilities, to assist victims, and to ensure that humanitarian needs were met in the most difficult circumstances.
At the same time, these days of aggression once again proved that the Islamic Republic of Iran will never compromise in defending its existence and national security. No other country in the world has been compelled to stand in open confrontation against both a nuclear-armed regime and a power simultaneously. Yet when Iranian missiles rained down upon the aggressors, we demonstrated again that we are fully prepared to defend our people and our fatherland. Iran’s defensive capability is not a threat to others—it is a shield that guarantees that unlawful aggression will never go unanswered.
Today’s discussion is not only about the suffering inflicted upon Iran, but also about the universal duty to uphold justice, accountability, and the dignity of every human being. We are grateful to our distinguished panelists who bring expertise and moral authority to this dialogue:
- H.E. Mr. Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs of Iran;
- Mr. George Katrougalos, UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order;
- Ms. Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls;
- H.E. Mr. Nasser Seraj, Director General of the High Council for Human Rights of Iran;
- Dr. Alfred de Zayas, Professor of international law and history;
- And a representative of the victims and survivors, whose voices are at the heart of this conversation.
I sincerely thank you all for joining us today. We strongly wish to engage in a substantive exchange of views that will reaffirm our shared responsibility to uphold human rights and to prevent the recurrence of such unlawful aggression. Given the number of panelists, I will do my utmost to open the floor for discussion; however, should this not be possible, I kindly ask for your understanding and acceptance of our apologies.
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