The letter to the head of the U.N. Security Council came after President Trump said the United States would intervene if Tehran violently cracked down on the protests.
Published January 3, 2026
Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, has written to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Security Council (UNSC), calling on them to condemn US President Donald Trump’s “unlawful threats” against Tehran as protests continue in the country.
The letter, sent Friday, came hours after President Trump said the U.S. would be “locked, loaded and ready to go” if more protesters die in Iran protests over living expenses.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Iravani called on U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and members of the Security Council to “unequivocally and categorically condemn” President Trump’s “reckless and provocative statements,” calling them “grave violations” of the U.N. Charter and international law.
“Any attempt to incite, promote or justify internal unrest as a pretext for external pressure or military intervention is a serious violation of the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Irabani said in the letter, published in full by IRNA state news agency.
The letter added that the Iranian government “reiterates its inherent right to protect its sovereignty” and “will resolutely and proportionately exercise that right.”
Iravani added: “The United States takes full responsibility for any consequences arising from these unlawful threats and the ensuing escalation of tensions.”
IRNA earlier reported that protests continued across Iran on Friday, with people gathering in Qom, Marbdasht, Yassi, Mashhad, Hamedan, as well as the Tehran suburbs of Tehran Pars and Qak Sefid.
Protests spread across the country after shopkeepers went on strike in Iran’s capital Tehran on Sunday over high prices and economic stagnation.
At least nine people were killed and 44 arrested in the riot. The deputy governor of Qom province announced Friday that another person was killed when a grenade exploded in his hand, which the governor said was an attempt to stir up fear.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their habit, the United States will come to their aid.”
Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, countered that US intervention “is tantamount to chaos in the entire region and destruction of US interests.”
Iran’s economic woes, including a collapsing currency and high inflation rates, are exacerbating multiple ongoing crises following years of severe drought in Tehran, a city of about 10 million people.
Iranian leaders responded with a surprisingly conciliatory attitude, with President Massoud Pezeshkian saying his government was “responsible” for the situation and vowing to find a solution. Observers say the response is markedly different from harsh responses to past protests in the country.
In June of this year, the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities during 12 days of tension between Israel and Iran. President Trump described the operation as a “very successful attack.”
Last week, at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump said that if the United States proceeds with Iran’s nuclear and ballistic weapons development, the United States will “totally crush” Iran.
The statement came as Israel called for a renewed attack on Iran.
Pezeshkian promised a “stern” response to any attack.
