United Nations (TDI): Pakistan joined China and Russia in introducing a draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanding an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians and a return to diplomacy following US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The draft comes in the wake of targeted American strikes on Iran’s Fordow enrichment plant, where uranium is reportedly processed to 60% purity, along with two other nuclear-related facilities. The attacks have sparked international concern, with fears mounting over a wider regional fallout.
Speaking at an emergency session convened at Iran’s request, Pakistan’s UN envoy Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad strongly condemned the US action. “These strikes follow a disturbing pattern of escalating aggression in the region, most notably by Israel,” he told the Council.
Ahmad stressed that attacks on nuclear sites safeguarded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were a blatant violation of global law and posed a severe risk not just to the region, but to global safety.
He urged the Council to speak with one voice: “We must condemn these violations unequivocally, uphold the protection of civilians, and support a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue.”
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, addressing the Council via video link, confirmed visible damage at the Fordow site, saying the strikes involved bunker-busting weapons. “We do not yet have access to assess the scale of underground damage,” he said, warning that attacks on nuclear facilities could lead to radioactive fallout beyond national borders.
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Grossi added bluntly: “Such armed strikes must never happen. The risk of radiation release is real and the consequences could be dire.”
Moreover, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the strikes “a dangerous turn” and urged all parties to immediately halt military actions. “We are on the brink of a cycle of retaliation that could spiral beyond control,” he said.
“The people of the region have suffered enough,” he continued. “We must return to diplomacy. We must protect civilians. And we must ensure safe navigation in the region’s waters.”
Guterres appealed to the Council to act swiftly to “prevent further escalation” and to renew international commitment to peaceful resolution. “We cannot, and must not, give up on peace,” he declared.
Read More: Pakistan Condemns US Strikes on Iran
While the draft resolution backed by Pakistan, China, and Russia was not brought to a vote during Sunday’s meeting, it lays the foundation for a diplomatic campaign urging de-escalation and the safeguarding of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure under international law.
Pakistan described its move as a “principled stand” for global stability and legal norms. Observers believe the coming days will reveal how much traction the proposal gains among other Security Council members.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
