U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz confronted Iran's U.N. envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, at a Security Council meeting, asserting that Tehran "will not silence" the body. Waltz's remarks followed Iran's denial of targeting civilians in recent drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, which occurred after new U.S. airstrikes against Iran.
During the emergency session convened in response to the Sunday attacks, Iravani contended that the council should not have met, accusing the U.S., Bahrain, and other members of disseminating falsehoods. "Once again, the representative of the United States has resorted to lies and disinformation against Iran in a desperate attempt to justify the US's unlawful acts of aggression," Iravani stated, also rejecting accusations from Western council members and Bahrain as "unfounded."
Iravani argued that critics ignored "unlawful aggression committed against Iran" and instead sought to shift blame onto the victim, labeling their behavior as displaying "double standards and hypocritical behavior."
In response, Waltz emphasized that Iran would not silence the U.S. on its own soil, stating, "That might work in Tehran, but not in the UN Security Council. We will tell the truth." He presented images he identified as showing the aftermath of the Iranian attacks, including a destroyed family home in Bahrain, a hotel frequented by tourists, and a building used by first responders that Waltz alleged was deliberately targeted.
"Are they lying?" Waltz asked, referring to the victims. "Is this hypocrisy? Is this what this council is here to denounce today? I ask the representative, are these lies? … I'd say not."
Bahrain's minister of foreign affairs, Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, reported that since February 28, the island nation had experienced 808 attacks, consisting of 203 ballistic missiles and 605 armed drones. He stated these attacks deliberately targeted civilian facilities, critical infrastructure, and residential areas, resulting in three civilian deaths and 465 injuries, directly contradicting Tehran's assertion that its actions were solely against military objectives.
The recent escalation began when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off Oman, prompting retaliation from U.S. forces, according to officials. Washington and Tehran have traded accusations of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement. President Donald Trump previously stated that U.S. forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites on June 27 after Iran violated the deal.