Israel’s UN envoy, Gilad Erdan, has urged the UN Security Council to “impose all possible sanctions on Iran before it’s too late” and “condemn Iran for their terror”, reports Agence France-Presse. Iran launched explosive drones and missiles on Saturday – its first ever direct attack on Israeli territory.According to The Guardian, Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, responded saying that the Islamic republic was exercising its “inherent right to self-defence” and “had no choice” but to act. He insisted his country did “not seek escalation or war”, but would respond to any “threat or aggression”.It’s being reported that Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials say that Iran gave wide notice days before its drone and missile attack on Israel – but US officials are disputing that line and say Tehran was aiming to cause significant damage. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday that Iran gave neighbouring countries and the United States 72 hours’ notice it would launch the strikes, according to the Reuters news agency. But one senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration denied Amirabdollahian’s statement, according to Reuters.Pointing out that the Middle East is on the brink, UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted that the people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict and hence, now is the time to defuse and de-escalate and for maximum restraint.While addressing the emergency session convened upon a urgent request by Israel following Iran’s strike on Israel during the late hours of April 13, 2024, Guterres said, “I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the large-scale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening. And I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities.””It’s time to step back from the brink,” he said and added that it’s vital to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East.



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