Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has said that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has turned into a tool in the hands of certain permanent members who prioritize their political and strategic interests over global peace.

According to The Iran Project, Gharibabadi made the remarks on Wednesday night at a UNSC ministerial meeting dubbed "Leadership for peace: united in respect of the UN Charter, in search of a secure future".

He strongly criticized the performance of the Security Council on the Israeli regime’s crimes, calling for immediate action by the international community.

The Iranian diplomat referred to the critical situation in the world and the escalation of tensions in some regions, noting that international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, which were once the foundation of international relations, are now being alarmingly ignored.

Impunity for gross violations of international law, especially international humanitarian law, is becoming a norm, he warned.

Gharibabadi said that the situation in the Gaza Strip marks a collective failure in maintaining international peace and security, adding that an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe is taking place and Gaza has turned into hell on earth, where more than 42,000 innocent Palestinian civilians, including women and children, have been massacred by the occupying regime and more than 93,000 others have been injured.

He also pointed out to Israel’s recent terrorist attacks in Lebanon where pager and walkie-talkie explosions left dozens of people, including civilians, dead.

“The deliberate targeting of civilians in populated areas using advanced technologies for terrorist purposes is a clear violation of international law, humanitarian principles and numerous UN resolutions. This barbaric attack is not only an attack on the people of Lebanon, but an attack on all humanity."

Gharibabadi also criticized the US for misusing its veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, saying that Washington’s repeated use of that power to prevent the Israeli regime from being held accountable for its genocide and its ongoing ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Gaza and now Lebanon is a clear example in this regard.

“The Security Council must fulfill its responsibilities under the [UN] Charter. Urgent measures must be taken to stop the killing machine of the Israeli regime and prevent further escalation in the region. The council must take action to protect civilians in Palestine and Lebanon, and must force the Israeli regime to comply with international law and binding resolutions”, the Iranian diplomat concluded.