UN leader condemns Iran following outcry from Israel
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the missile attack launched by Tehran, following Israel's strong response in declaring him persona non grata. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres faced criticism following an Iranian missile attack on Israel, after West Jerusalem publicly labeled him persona non grata for not denouncing the attack earlier.
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a series of rockets at Israel on Tuesday, framing it as a retaliation for the recent Israeli operations that killed prominent leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
"As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April, and this should have been obvious yesterday, in the context of the condemnation I expressed, I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attacks by Iran on Israel," Guterres stated during a Wednesday briefing to the UN Security Council.
Additionally, Guterres addressed the ongoing violence, condemning both Israel and Hezbollah for cross-border attacks infringing on Lebanese sovereignty and advocating for an immediate ceasefire. "It is high time to stop the sickening cycle of escalation after escalation," he emphasized. "This deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop. Time is running out."
His remarks came in response to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who criticized the UN leader for not “unequivocally condemning Iran’s heinous attack.” Katz further asserted that Guterres had not denounced the "massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7," nor classified the group as a terrorist organization.
Katz also labelled Guterres as "a stain on the history of the UN," accusing him of supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis, and Iran.
In defense of Guterres, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted that the UN does not recognize the notion of persona non grata for its personnel and described the Israeli announcement as a political move, framing it as "just one more attack, so to speak, on UN staff."
Criticism of Israel's stance came from both the US and Russia. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller condemned the announcement, stating that such actions are "not productive" or beneficial for West Jerusalem's international standing. "The UN does incredibly important work in Gaza. It does incredibly important work in the region. And the UN, when it’s acting at its best, can play an important role for security and stability," Miller asserted.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Israel's action effectively sidelines the UN from mediating the conflict. "We see the Israeli point of view, which says that Israel does not allow any role for the UN," he said. "Indeed, the situation is extremely tense in the region; we call on everyone to exercise restraint."
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a series of rockets at Israel on Tuesday, framing it as a retaliation for the recent Israeli operations that killed prominent leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
"As I did in relation to the Iranian attack in April, and this should have been obvious yesterday, in the context of the condemnation I expressed, I again strongly condemn yesterday’s massive missile attacks by Iran on Israel," Guterres stated during a Wednesday briefing to the UN Security Council.
Additionally, Guterres addressed the ongoing violence, condemning both Israel and Hezbollah for cross-border attacks infringing on Lebanese sovereignty and advocating for an immediate ceasefire. "It is high time to stop the sickening cycle of escalation after escalation," he emphasized. "This deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence must stop. Time is running out."
His remarks came in response to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who criticized the UN leader for not “unequivocally condemning Iran’s heinous attack.” Katz further asserted that Guterres had not denounced the "massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7," nor classified the group as a terrorist organization.
Katz also labelled Guterres as "a stain on the history of the UN," accusing him of supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis, and Iran.
In defense of Guterres, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric noted that the UN does not recognize the notion of persona non grata for its personnel and described the Israeli announcement as a political move, framing it as "just one more attack, so to speak, on UN staff."
Criticism of Israel's stance came from both the US and Russia. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller condemned the announcement, stating that such actions are "not productive" or beneficial for West Jerusalem's international standing. "The UN does incredibly important work in Gaza. It does incredibly important work in the region. And the UN, when it’s acting at its best, can play an important role for security and stability," Miller asserted.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Israel's action effectively sidelines the UN from mediating the conflict. "We see the Israeli point of view, which says that Israel does not allow any role for the UN," he said. "Indeed, the situation is extremely tense in the region; we call on everyone to exercise restraint."
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
