The United Nations Security Council held an emergency session as renewed friction between the United States and Iran threatened the fragile ceasefire reached just days earlier. During the meeting, US Ambassador Mike Waltz cautioned that while Washington remains committed to diplomacy, “President Trump’s patience is not unlimited.”

Addressing the Council, Waltz accused Tehran of disrupting global commerce by interfering with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. He said, “Iran cannot, and we cannot allow it to, hold the world’s economy hostage,” while emphasizing that “a real transformative positive opportunity for the nation and people of Iran is on the table.” Even so, he warned that “President Trump’s patience is not unlimited.”

Opening the meeting, Elizabeth Spehar, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding and Peace Support, cautioned that the current ceasefire remains highly unstable.

“Each new strike, each new interception, each new maritime incident increases the risk of miscalculation,” Spehar said. “A return to full-scale hostilities would have catastrophic consequences – for the peoples of the region, for international peace and security, and for the global economy.”

Spehar reviewed the events that have unfolded since June 25, including attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, retaliatory US strikes on Iranian military sites along the coast, Iranian attacks targeting American military installations in the Gulf, and the June 28 agreement by both sides to suspend further attacks.

Calling for continued diplomatic engagement, she said, “Sustained political will and continued engagement will be critical to overcoming the current challenges and achieving a mutually acceptable and lasting agreement,” while urging all parties to avoid actions that could reignite the conflict.

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani told Council members that Bahrain has endured 808 attacks since February 28, including 203 ballistic missiles and 605 armed drones.

“These attacks deliberately targeted civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas,” he said, noting that the strikes killed three people and wounded hundreds.

Rejecting Iran’s claim that it targeted only military sites, Al Zayani pointed to an April 5 drone strike that hit an ammonia storage tank located in a residential neighborhood.

“Bahrain is an independent sovereign nation that is not a party to any conflict,” he said, while urging the Security Council to establish a mechanism to oversee implementation of the recent memorandum of understanding and hold violators accountable.

Kuwait likewise condemned what it described as repeated Iranian attacks against its territory.

“Kuwait condemns in the strongest terms the Iranian unwarranted, repeated attacks against the territory and airspace of Kuwait as well as its critical infrastructure,” said Faisal Alenezi.

Alenezi said Kuwait has been struck by 893 drone attacks and 873 ballistic missile attacks during the latest escalation, causing casualties and damaging critical facilities, including the country’s international airport.

Responding to the accusations, Amir Saeid Iravani blamed both the United States and Israel for triggering the current crisis.

“The facts are clear,” he said. “The United States betrayed diplomacy twice” by attacking Iran while negotiations were still in progress.

“Iran is the main victim of the wars of aggression launched by the United States and the Israeli regime. The role of the victim and the aggressor must not be reversed,” Iravani added.

He also criticized Bahrain and several Western members of the Security Council, accusing them of making “unfounded accusations” while ignoring what he characterized as illegal military actions against Iran.

According to Iravani, Tehran remains committed to diplomacy, saying Iran’s priority is “the full implementation of the MoU and the continuation of negotiations towards a comprehensive deal.” He urged Council members to support the negotiating process and refrain from steps that could jeopardize it.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad praised the recently signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, calling it “a victory for diplomacy.” He said Pakistani and Qatari officials have facilitated meetings in Doha between American and Iranian negotiators.

“The fact that the talks are continuing and the parties are at the negotiating table is a significant positive outcome,” Ahmad said.

Representatives of the United Kingdom reaffirmed their backing for continued negotiations and implementation of the memorandum while stressing the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Panama condemned the June 27 attack on a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the Strait, calling the incident “absolutely unacceptable” and warning that it posed a serious threat to international maritime security.

A number of other Security Council members echoed calls for all parties to preserve the ceasefire, restore the safe flow of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and continue negotiations aimed at reaching a lasting agreement.

{Matzav.com}