UN Security Council to hold emergency meeting on Iran amid military escalation

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.