SAEDNEWS: Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Hossein Darzi says peaceful protests with legitimate economic demands were deliberately hijacked by organized, armed groups and transformed into violent riots in Iran.
According to SAEDNEWS, Darzi made the remarks at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council regarding “Situation in the Middle East” in New York, on Thursday.
He said that the people and Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran were confronted with ISIS-style acts of terrorism and extreme violence across the country between 8 and 10 January 2026.
Peaceful protests that began on 28 December 2025 with legitimate economic demands were deliberately hijacked by organized, armed groups and transformed into violent riots, he said, adding that documented cases include beheadings, people being burned alive, police officers and ordinary citizens beaten to death, widespread use of firearms, and the deliberate torching of ambulances, fire engines, health facilities, residential buildings, and places of worship.
The full text of the remarks by Ambassador Darzi at the UNSC emergency meeting is as follows:
Mr. President,
Let me state from the outset our firm objection to the participation of the so-called representatives of civil society. I must be absolutely clear: both briefers, imposed by the representative of the United States under this false label, do not represent Iran’s civil society. They represent the political agendas of the United States and Israel. They have lived outside Iran for more than two decades and have consistently engaged in incitement to violence and the promotion of extremist and terrorist activities, including advocating and facilitating the use of lethal force against law enforcement officers. Their presence here is therefore neither legitimate nor credible, and it fundamentally undermines the integrity of this discussion.
Please do not sell them to the world as representatives of Iran's civil 'society'. Their acts and statements regarding Iran are far from 'civil,' and they have long divorced from Iran's society. They amplify the Israeli/American foreign agenda.
They're both on Mossad's payroll, in accordance with undeniable evidence.
Mr. President,
I wish to extend my deepest condolences and sympathy, with a heavy and grieving heart, to the brave people of my country and to the families of the many victims. In recent weeks, Iran has lost numerous innocent civilians and devoted members of its security and law enforcement forces. Many of our young people were brutally murdered in acts of extreme violence, reminding us of the atrocities committed by ISIS. Many of our police officers sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to protect civilians and preserve public order. I speak today on behalf of a nation in mourning.
It is deeply regrettable that the representative of the United States—who requested this meeting—has today resorted to lies, distortion of facts, and a deliberate misinformation campaign to conceal his country’s direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran to violence. In fact, the United States' request for this meeting is shameful theater to conceal their direct complicity in the crime their mercenaries have committed against our nations from 8 to 10 January, as part of Israel's malicious attempt to drag America into another war of aggression against Iran.
Under the hollow pretext of concern for the Iranian people and claims of support for human rights, the United States is attempting to portray itself as a friend of the Iranian people—while simultaneously laying the groundwork for political destabilization and military intervention under a so-called “humanitarian” narrative.
These claims are particularly cynical when viewed against the United States’ long and well-documented record of unlawful military interventions, regime-change operations, and systematic violations of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Across the world, these policies have led to mass civilian casualties, the collapse of states, prolonged humanitarian disasters, and the emergence and empowerment of extremist and terrorist groups. This is not a matter of opinion; it is a matter of historical record and fact.
The Iranian people, for decades, have experienced the true meaning of this so-called “support.” The United States’ pattern of coercion and interference under deceptive pretexts is clear: from the orchestration of the 1953 coup against the democratically elected government of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, to its extensive political, military, and intelligence backing of Saddam’s regime war of aggression against Iran; from the downing of Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988, killing 290 innocent civilians, to its complicity in assassinations, sabotage, and attacks against Iranian civilians and infrastructure, including the war of aggression carried out in June 2025; and from decades of unlawful unilateral sanctions to systematic economic coercion. These measures have gravely violated the Iranian people’s fundamental rights, including their inherent right to life, health, and development.
Unfortunately, several Western members of this Council, including France and the United Kingdom, have once again adopted their familiar double standards. While claiming to champion human rights and to support the Iranian people, they have, alongside the United States, imposed some of the most severe and unlawful sanctions in modern history—sanctions that have inflicted widespread suffering on civilians. At the same time, they have failed to condemn, let alone sanction, the Israeli regime for its acts of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Mr. President,
Between 8 and 10 January 2026, the people and Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran were confronted with ISIS-style acts of terrorism and extreme violence across the country. Peaceful protests that began on 28 December 2025 with legitimate economic demands were deliberately hijacked by organized, armed groups and transformed into violent riots. Documented cases include beheadings, people being burned alive, police officers and ordinary citizens beaten to death, widespread use of firearms, and the deliberate torching of ambulances, fire engines, health facilities, residential buildings, and places of worship.
These were not isolated incidents. They reflect a clear and systematic pattern of organized violence. A significant number of police officers were killed or severely injured. These heavy casualties demonstrate the extreme brutality of terrorist elements.
The situation is, in fact, very simple: the United States and its accomplices—particularly the Israeli regime—cannot evade responsibility for the innocent blood that has been shed in my country. Unable to achieve their objectives through the 12-day war of aggression against Iran in June 2025, they have now sought to pursue the same goals through political destabilization, internal unrest, and chaos.
This strategy relies on manufacturing casualties, spreading false and inflated figures, and creating a pretext for foreign intervention. It is a familiar script—one that has been used repeatedly, from Iraq to Libya to Venezuela.
Mr. President,
Allow me to recall only a few of the interventionist and reckless statements made by U.S. officials, which clearly demonstrate Washington’s direct involvement in this unrest.
On 29 December 2025, during a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of the Israeli regime, the President of the United States declared, “If Iran continues with its missile program, yes, I support striking Iran. If they continue with their nuclear program, the strike should be immediate.” He further threatened, “We’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.”
On 2 January, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo openly acknowledged the presence of Mossad agents among the rioters. I quote the same wording he used in his message in X: “Happy New Year to every Iranian in the street. Also, to every Mossad agent besides them.” End of the quote.
On 3 January 2026, the President of the US stated: “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
On 10 January 2026, Senator Lindsey Graham publicly incited violent acts, stating: “When President Trump says ‘Make Iran Great Again,’ it means protesters in Iran should defeat the Ayatollah.”
On 12 January, the White House spokesperson confirmed that President Trump “would not hesitate to use military force against Iran.” On the same day, Senator Graham declared, and I quote: “Iran’s leadership must be destroyed… This is the best opportunity since 1979 to change the Middle East.”
On 13 January, the U.S. President stated, and I quote: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! … HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
These are not isolated remarks. They constitute explicit calls for regime change, violence, and military aggression.
Mr. President,
The exploitation of peaceful protests for geopolitical purposes and the reckless endangerment of civilian lives fully align with the destructive role that unlawful unilateral sanctions have played in creating this situation. Claims of concern for human rights ring hollow when made by those who systematically violate them.
3 days ago, millions of Iranians marched to restore calm in our cities, to support law and order, and to reject reckless attempts to push our country toward civil conflict.
President Trump chose to ignore this historic display of unity and restraint. Instead, he issued a provocative statement aimed at reigniting unrest. But people of Iran, nationwide, ignored his invitation for further violence, and this is why calm has been reestablished across Iran.
Mr. President,
Any threat or use of force against the Islamic Republic of Iran—under any pretext, including claims of “protecting protesters” or “supporting the Iranian people”—constitutes a grave and manifest violation of international law and the UN Charter. Such unlawful actions directly breach Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force, and Article 2(7), which enshrines the principle of non-intervention. No rule of doctrine, narrative, or political justification can legitimize unilateral military action or coercion without explicit Security Council authorization under Chapter VII. Invoking humanitarian rhetoric to justify force is a deliberate abuse of international law.
The Security Council, its members, and the Secretary-General bear a clear legal, moral, and political responsibility to unequivocally reject and condemn such unlawful actions—before it is too late. The credibility of the United Nations, and the survival of the Charter itself, now depend on whether this fundamental prohibition is upheld or eroded by one of its own permanent members.
Iran seeks neither escalation nor confrontation. However, any act of aggression—direct or indirect—will be met with a decisive, proportionate, and lawful response under Article 51 of the Charter. This is not a threat; it is a statement of legal reality. Responsibility for all consequences will rest solely with those who initiate such unlawful acts.
Mr. President,
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran remains fully committed to its human rights obligations, including the right to peaceful protest. It has exercised maximum restraint while fulfilling its duty to protect its people and preserve public order. However, the incitement to violence, encouragement of internal destabilization, and explicit threats of military action against a sovereign Member State constitute a threat to international peace and security within the meaning of Article 39 of the Charter.
In conclusion, Mr. President, we categorically reject all politically motivated accusations made today against my government. The facts on the ground contradict the fabricated narratives presented by the United States and its allies at this meeting.
US fabrication of the “senseless killing of protesters” neither reflects realities on the ground nor would it whitewash America's crimes against the great people of Iran.
The allegation that the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has killed peaceful protesters is quite distortion of facts on the grounds. What the Iranian security forces did confront—firmly and responsibly—were armed ISIS-style terrorist cells and violent separatist groups (funded and armed by a few foreign entities, including the Israeli regime) that deliberately targeted both civilians and law-enforcement officers in an effort to ignite civil war and create the conditions for foreign intervention.
The claim that internet restrictions were imposed to conceal harm to our own people is equally false. On the contrary, temporary limitations were necessary to protect the Iranian nation from evil operations that foreign agents, including Israeli ones, are conducting against the safety of the nation. It was also absolutely vital to prevent huge cyberattacks against Iran and its infrastructures, and to disrupt communications among terrorist networks coordinating terror operations from within our cities.
I thank you.
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