The United Nations Security Council is not expected to condemn the elimination of top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, diplomats said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
At a minimum, the 15-member body could discuss the killing behind closed doors if a member requests such a meeting or it could agree on - by consensus - a statement on the issue.
South Africa's UN ambassador, Jerry Matjila, council president for December, said on Tuesday that no member had so far requested to discuss the killing or Iran in general. Diplomats also said there had been no discussion of a statement.
Iran demanded on the weekend that the Security Council condemn the killing and take action against those responsible.
The Security Council is charged with maintaining international peace and security and has the ability to authorize military action and impose sanctions, but such measures require at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia or China.
No one has claimed responsibility for the killing of Fakhrizadeh who was the architect of Iran's nuclear weapons program, but Iran has accused Israel of directing his death, calling the incident an act of "state terrorism".
Several individual countries have condemned the elimination, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain.
The European Union also issued a statement of condemnation, calling the killing of Fakhrizadeh “a criminal act” which “runs counter to the principle of respect for human rights the EU stands for.”