US Ambassador Mike Waltz addressed an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Saturday afternoon in New York, convened following requests by Bahrain and France, as members gathered to discuss the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran.
Opening his remarks, Waltz said, “Distinguished delegates, this is a moment in history that requires moral clarity and President Trump has met the moment."
He stressed that “the most fundamental duty of any sovereign government is the protection of its people," describing Operation Epic Fury as directed toward “specific and strategic objectives to dismantle missile capabilities that threaten allies, to degrade naval assets used to destabilize international waters, and to disrupt the machinery that arms proxy militias, and to ensure the Iranian regime never, ever can threaten the world with a nuclear weapon."
Quoting President Trump’s statement from the previous night, Waltz said, “For decades the Iranian regime has willfully destabilized the world. It has killed American forces and citizens, threatened regional allies, and jeopardized the security of international shipping upon which the world depends."
He added that Iran’s “massive support for violent proxies, declared terrorist organizations, the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, and others has brought bloodshed and disorder across the Middle East for far too long."
“This is not speculation. We know this to be true and our men and women have paid for the actions of this regime and the IRGC with their lives," Waltz stated.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon is representing Israel at the urgent session. Ahead of the meeting, Danon stated, “The State of Israel is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat. Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state."