Bahraini: Israel’s expansionism will spread without global action

The emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council, titled “Review of Israel’s Military Aggression Against the State of Qatar,” was held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the UN headquarters in Geneva. This session was convened at the request of the group of Islamic countries and the Qatari government in response to Israel’s September 9 attack on Qatari territory.

During the session, Islamic countries called Israel’s September 9 attack on Qatar a “clear violation of the UN Charter and international law” and demanded an immediate response from the international community.

At the opening of the session, Mariam bint Ali bin Nasser Al-Misnad, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs of Qatar, described the attack and emphasized that this aggression against Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is not only a threat to the country’s national security but also a serious danger to regional and international peace and stability.

The group of Islamic countries unanimously condemned Israel’s aggression, calling it a blatant violation of international law, the UN Charter, and a direct attack on Qatar’s mediation efforts in the Palestinian humanitarian crisis. European, African, and Latin American countries also described the attacks as illegal and unacceptable.

The Islamic countries’ statement stressed that Israel’s recent attack is provocative, unjustifiable, and risks escalating regional tensions. They stated that the aggression violates Qatar’s sovereignty and security and threatens human rights foundations across the region.

They called on the international community to compel Israel to stop the attacks and hold those responsible accountable. Islamic countries also highlighted Qatar’s and other nations’ mediation initiatives as a starting point for establishing a just and lasting peace in the region, based on equality and human dignity for all peoples, especially the Palestinian nation.

Ali Bahraini, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, in his speech at the session, strongly condemned Israel’s military aggression against Qatar and stated:

“This aggression sends a clear message—not only to a regime whose history is full of systematic genocide, repeated aggressions, and hollow pride in committing these crimes, but also to all of us. Our inaction and failure to uphold legal and moral principles have allowed a malicious entity to undermine global order and security.”

The Iranian ambassador also said: “This apartheid regime respects neither international law nor the language of civilized nations, and it has no belief in negotiation, peace, or stability. Israel’s genocidal crimes and operations were only halted for two weeks when the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran intervened. If the international community does not respond seriously, Israel’s aggression and expansionism will continue unchecked, spreading like a cancerous tumor and threatening all countries in the region. We are obligated to defend our people and humanity by any means necessary.”

Bahraini concluded by reaffirming Iran’s full solidarity with the people and government of Qatar and expressed support for all plans and ideas to hold Israel accountable.