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UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Iran amid military escalation
The Security Council session comes hours after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets early Saturday
The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency session on Saturday following large-scale airstrikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, a move that has triggered sharp international backlash and heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
The emergency meeting was requested by France, Bahrain, China, Russia and Colombia, according to a statement from Russia’s permanent mission to the UN.
“The reckless actions by Washington and West Jerusalem against a sovereign UN member state constitute a direct violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law,” the Russian mission said, warning that the strikes risk undermining peace, stability and security across the Middle East.
Moscow said it would demand that the United States and Israel “immediately cease their illegal and escalatory actions” and shift toward a political and diplomatic resolution.
Escalation after joint strikes
The Security Council session comes hours after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets early Saturday, saying the operation was aimed at neutralizing threats posed by the Iranian government.
In separate video statements, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump defended the military action. Both leaders suggested the strikes could create conditions for political change in Tehran, with Trump saying the operation could give Iranians an opportunity to determine their own future.
Iran condemned the attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and international law and responded with retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli territory and U.S. assets in the region.
Growing international concern
Diplomatic tensions have mounted rapidly, with several governments urging restraint and warning of the potential for a wider war.
France, one of the countries that requested the emergency meeting, has previously called for renewed diplomatic engagement to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs while avoiding further escalation.
The Security Council gathering is expected to feature heated exchanges among permanent members, particularly between Russia and the United States, as divisions deepen over the legality and consequences of the strikes.
With active hostilities ongoing and civilian casualties reported, the UN session will serve as an early test of whether global powers can contain the crisis — or whether the confrontation will continue to spiral.
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new leader, said on Thursday that Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases on their territory, as Tehran will continue its attacks against them.
In his first statement, broadcast and read out by state television, Khamenei told the Iranian people: “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs.”
He added: “The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”
However, state television did not explain why Khamenei’s first remarks were read by a presenter rather than delivered in a video.
No images of him have yet been released since the strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
In these remarks, Mojtaba Khamenei also confirmed that his wife, sister, and other family members were killed.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the conflict that erupted on February 28, warning that the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.
In a statement released Thursday, the UN refugee agency said the figure is based on preliminary assessments of uprooted households and could rise further if hostilities continue.
“This number is likely to increase as fighting persists, signaling a troubling escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said.
The agency noted that many of the displaced have fled their homes in search of safety, often moving to nearby provinces or staying with relatives and host communities. Others have sought temporary shelter in public buildings and informal settlements, placing additional pressure on local resources.
Humanitarian organizations say the sudden movement of millions of people is creating urgent needs for shelter, food, medical care and basic services. Aid agencies are working with local authorities to assess conditions and deliver assistance to affected communities.
The displacement crisis comes amid broader regional instability that has raised concerns among international organizations about the potential for further population movements both inside Iran and across borders.
UNHCR said it is continuing to monitor developments closely and is coordinating with humanitarian partners to scale up assistance as the situation evolves.
Regional
Trump on Iran: We won, but don’t want to leave early
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “we won” the Iran war but that the United States will stay in the fight to finish the job.
“You never like to say too early you won. We won,” Trump told a campaign-style rally in Hebron, Kentucky. “In the first hour it was over.”
He said the United States had knocked out 58 Iranian naval ships.
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
“We don’t want to leave early do we?” Trump said. “We got to finish the job.”
He said the United States has “virtually destroyed Iran.” He seemed to signal that the United States would continue the fight for now.
“We don’t want to go back every two years,” he said.
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