AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, in a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, held the United States and the Israeli regime responsible for the damage and consequences of attacks on Iran's space and communications infrastructure. He emphasized that these deliberate attacks constitute state terrorism and war crimes.
The letter of Amir Saeid Iravani is as follows:
"Pursuant to the instruction of my government and following previous communications of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the aggressive war of the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, I hereby wish to bring the following to the attention of Your Excellency and the members of the Security Council, highlighting another dimension of this flagrant aggression. Specifically, I wish to underscore the attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime against the civilian space and communications infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the forty days of this oppressive and brutal war, which constitutes yet another instance of flagrant violations and crimes.
The aggressors have deliberately targeted the following civilian space facilities, which are exclusively dedicated to peaceful scientific advancements, the enhancement of technical capacities, and the exploration and utilization of outer space for peaceful purposes for the benefit of humanity:
• University space centers, including the Space Research Center of the University of Science and Technology and the Aerospace Research Institute;
• The Iran Space Research Institute;
• The Satellite Systems Research Institute;
• The Advanced Space Transportation Research Institute and the Space Propulsion Research Institute;
• The Mahdasht Space Center, responsible for satellite communications monitoring and data processing;
• Satellite ground control stations and equipment at the Khayyam Observatory;
• More than 30 ground stations of the national radio and television broadcasting network of the Islamic Republic of Iran, essential for disseminating public safety information, including evacuation orders, shelter-in-place instructions, and security warnings, to coordinate civilian response in crisis situations. These attacks clearly violate the fundamental human right to access information and public safety.
The consequences of these attacks extend beyond the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Targeting ground stations and observatories disrupts space services of international interest, including environmental monitoring, natural disaster management, and global telecommunications. In an interconnected world, such actions undermine the collective interest in the peaceful use of outer space.
These deliberate attacks on purely civilian scientific and communications infrastructure constitute acts of state terrorism and are considered war crimes. These actions represent a clear violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and a gross breach of international humanitarian law. Targeting facilities vital for scientific advancement and public safety reveals the true criminal intent of the aggressors.
Furthermore, such barbaric actions are in fundamental conflict with the object and purpose of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, particularly Article I, which affirms the freedom of exploration and use of outer space for the benefit of all countries, and Article III, which mandates that activities be carried out in accordance with international law. The attack on infrastructure connected to the satellite of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) also violates international human rights covenants, which guarantee, inter alia, the right to seek, receive, and impart information.
The United States of America and the Zionist regime bear full international responsibility for all damages and consequences arising from their illegal actions and attacks against the civilian space and communications infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In light of the foregoing, the Islamic Republic of Iran calls upon the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council to assume their responsibilities under the Charter and to address these illegal actions with due seriousness.
The Security Council must unequivocally condemn and reject such criminal acts and take necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such flagrant violations, which constitute a clear violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter. Failure to take appropriate action will not only undermine the credibility of the international legal system but also encourage the perpetrators to commit further violations with potentially catastrophic consequences for global scientific cooperation and public safety.
It would be appreciated if you would kindly instruct that the present communication be registered and circulated as an official document of the Security Council."
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