TEHRAN, July 4 — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran’s military had delivered a “major lesson” to Israel and successfully contained what could have escalated into a wider regional conflict, following the recent 12-day war between the two countries.
Speaking at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, Pezeshkian said Iran’s armed response was carried out in line with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which permits self-defense in the face of armed aggression.
He condemned the Israeli regime’s initial strike on June 13 as a violation of international law, specifically Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which forbids the use of force against the territorial integrity of another state. The Israeli attacks killed over 935 Iranians, including 140 women and children, and left more than 5,600 wounded, according to official Iranian sources.
Pezeshkian also accused the United States of joining Israel in its assault, citing a June 22 strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and violation of Iranian airspace. In retaliation, Iran launched missiles at the U.S. Central Command base in Qatar on June 23, escalating tensions further.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel targeted sensitive military and government sites in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, with salvos of drones and ballistic missiles. The president said this calibrated military response prevented the conflict from spilling into neighboring countries.
The war ended on June 24, when Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire. President Pezeshkian used the summit to thank ECO member states for their “responsible positions” and called for greater regional cooperation to prevent similar escalations.
