Egregious, terrorist Iranian attacks targeted critical civilian infrastructure: UAE

The United Arab Emirates stressed that egregious and terrorist Iranian attacks, which have persisted for 26 days, with more than 2,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones targeting critical civilian infrastructure including airports, residential areas, and civilian sites across the UAE, in what it described as a "blatant violation of the state’s sovereignty and international humanitarian law."

In remarks to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Jamal Al Musharakh, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and Other International Organisations in Geneva, said, "What we are witnessing today is not merely a military escalation, but a systematic, reckless behaviour that undermines the foundations of the international order and threatens regional and international security and stability, particularly as it targets infrastructure directly linked to the safety of civilians, energy security, the global economy, and international supply chains."

He added, "Let us also recall that Iran’s egregious attacks have not targeted countries with which it is at war, but rather its neighbours-countries that have repeatedly called for and, over the past months, made intensive efforts to avoid this escalation, based on their firm conviction that military solutions generate crises and serious consequences for the region."

He said that Iran now stands isolated from its neighbours and the international community, in blatant defiance of the United Nations Charter, and in a desperate attempt to destabilise the international order through reckless ventures to impose hegemony. "Moreover, we see that Iran seeks to justify its unwarranted and utterly irresponsible attacks by labelling them 'retaliatory strikes'.”

In this regard, Al Musharakh affirmed the UAE's categorical rejection of any justifications or pretexts put forward by Iran seeking to account for these cowardly attacks, while disregarding the clear position of the United Arab Emirates, which affirmed that it will not allow its territory to be used in any military operation against Iran.

"What cannot be overlooked in this context is the stark contradiction between Iran’s baseless narratives about good neighbourliness and its actions on the ground, including its justification for targeting civilians, infrastructure, and civilian sites-among them airports, ports, oil facilities, tourist sites, critical facilities, power stations, and residential buildings. The UAE lost three members of its armed forces, while six civilians have been killed and 166 others from 29 different nationalities have been injured in these terrorist attacks," he continued.

Furthermore, he said that the repercussions of these brutal attacks extend beyond the region, as their persistence threatens navigation in key waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, undermines the stability of energy markets and global supply chains, and exacerbates economic and social pressures, directly affecting the rights to security and development for all people in the world.

Al Musharakh added, "We witnessed in the United Nations Security Council the adoption of historic resolution 2817, which condemns in the strongest terms the egregious Iranian attacks against the UAE, the other states of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The resolution was cosponsored by 136 UN member states and sends a clear and unified message that the international community will not tolerate attacks on the sovereignty of states or the deliberate targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure."

Additionally, the adoption of the resolution by the Council of the International Maritime Organisation-cosponsored by over 115 member states, the largest number of sponsors in the IMO’s history-strongly condemns Iranian threats and attacks against ships, as well as its closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

"In this context, we call upon the Human Rights Council today to take a decisive step toward condemning human rights violations resulting from Iran’s unlawful attacks against countries that are pillars and partners for peace in the region," he emphasised.

Al Musharakh stated, "Let me remind any enemy of the UAE model that my country, since its founding, has been built on good neighbourliness and bridge-building, guided by the vision of a leadership that believes in dignified living, tolerance, coexistence, and the rejection of hatred. This model is also grounded in forward-looking, well-established economic strategies and openness to the world through building sustainable international partnerships, which have made the UAE’s economy one of the world’s leading and most adaptable economies.

"Most importantly, our model is built on unshakable foundations and an unwavering resolve to achieve development and prosperity. We reaffirm that the UAE retains its full right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, residents-from 200 nationalities-and visitors, based on its right to self-defence in accordance with international law."

He concluded by saying, "From this platform, we emphasise that the egregious Iranian attacks have demonstrated the strength of our institutions, the resilience of our national system, the unity of our society, and the determination of our people."

WAM