Sargazi: Silence and inaction against Israeli regime crimes have cost many lives

Sargazi, who traveled to Geneva with the Iranian delegation to attend the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, emphasized at the session on “The Human Rights Impacts of the 12-Day Attack on Iran by Israel and the United States” that the actions of the Israeli regime constitute a clear violation of international law and human rights.

He added: “The international community must take immediate measures to stop the crimes of this regime; otherwise, the world will no longer be a safe place for the protection of human rights.”

The full text of the speech delivered by the Chairman of the Legal and Judicial Commission at the session on “The Human Rights Impacts of the 12-Day Attack on Iran by Israel and the United States” is as follows:

Excellencies, Ambassadors and Representatives of States,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations,

I thank the Permanent Mission of Iran for organizing this meeting, and I extend my appreciation to the Ambassador and his colleagues at the Permanent Mission.

The speakers before me have already covered the essential issues related to today’s panel.

Today, among us, we also have some family members of survivors and victims of the Israeli regime’s attack against my country. They represent a population of 6 to 7 thousand people—or definitely even the entire 90 million people of Iran—who, during the 12 days of military aggression by the Israeli regime, witnessed one of the most brutal faces of aggression in contemporary times.

 I am also here as a witness to the Israeli regime’s military aggression. For all twelve days of that aggression, out of duty, I went to my workplace under bombardments, the sounds of warplanes, drones, and missiles—alongside Iran’s powerful air defense—and at night, together with my family, I experienced, though only partially, the reality of the Israeli regime’s conduct.

I would like to share a few points with you.

As has been stated before, and as the speakers here have also underlined, there is no doubt that what the Israeli regime committed during those twelve days of military aggression against Iran was in total violation of the very principles of international law and very serious damage was inflicted upon the credibility of international law.

This 12-day attack on Iran took place while this regime has, for more than 80 years, remained an entity in our region that do occupations and forced upon the Middle East by extra-regional powers.

Not only has its occupation not ended, but at least half of the countries in the region have already been victims of its occupations, aggressions, or acts of sabotage.

Today no country in our region can be assured that it is immune from the aggressive and inhumane acts of this regime? Now the question is that which law, which rule, which security or military agreement can restrain this regime?

How many more human rights and humanitarian laws must be violated before we, as an international community, awaken to the imminent and grave danger this regime poses to all countries of the region, and even the world, and take action?

What Israel is pursuing in our region will never lead to peace or stability. It only claims more lives with each passing day and brings further destruction.

The right to life—the foremost of human rights, particularly for women and children—is being violated by Israel’s actions and policies in the region, without the slightest concern for the rulers of this occupying regime.

Our silence, our ambiguities, our inaction—combined with the support extended to this regime—have allowed us to witness new crimes each day.

This trend must not be allowed to continue. There must be a place in this world that stops this regime. If such a place does not exist, then this world cannot be considered a safe place for the protection or even the claim of human rights.

There are States that certainly have the capacity to stop the continuation of this regime’s crimes, but for various reasons they do not, and in what is happening in our region they knowingly or unknowingly become partners and accomplices.

Distinguished participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Up to now, our inaction has already cost countless lives. Let us not allow more human beings to be deprived of their right to life and to a dignified existence.

Thank you.