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STORY: UN / IRAN ISRAEL
TRT: 09:16
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 20 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
20 JUNE 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council, IAEA Director-General Mariano Grossi on screen
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“There are moments when the choices before us are not just consequential -- they are defining. Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially, our collective future. This is such a moment. To the parties to the conflict – the potential parties to the conflict – and to the Security Council as the representative of the international community, I have a simple and clear message: Give peace a chance.”
4. Med shot, Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The world is watching with growing alarm. We are not drifting toward crisis – we are racing toward it. We are not witnessing isolated incidents -- we are on course to potential chaos. The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen.”
6. Wide shot, Council, Grossi on screens
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The only thing that is predictable is that the consequences of continuing this conflict are unpredictable. Let us not look back on this decisive moment with regret. Let us act -- responsibly and together -- to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink.”
8. Wide shot, Council, Grossi on screen
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs:
“The intensifying cycle of attacks and counterattacks has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, including fatalities, in both Iran and Israel. According to Iran’s Ministry of Health, as of 19 June, 224 people had been killed and more than 2,500 others injured in Israeli strikes across Iran. The Health Ministry added that 90 percent of the victims were civilians. Other estimates, based on local non-governmental organizations and human rights groups, suggest the death toll is at least double the official figure.”
10. Wide shot, Council, Grossi on screen
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs:
“In Israel, the Office of the Prime Minister stated that, as of 19 June, Iran’s strikes have killed 24 people and injured 915 others, the vast majority civilians. The strikes have also damaged homes, leading to the displacement of Israelis.”
12. Wide shot, Council, Grossi on screen addressing Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Mariano Grossi, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“Attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran have caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security in Iran. Though they have not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur.”
14. Wide shot, Council, Grossi on screen addressing Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Mariano Grossi, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“In case of an attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment. Similarly, a hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment. In their worst-case, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population or the need to take stable iodine, with the reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres.”
16. Med shot, Guterres
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Mariano Grossi, Director-General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“Any action against the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor could have severe consequences, potentially for large areas of the city of Tehran and its inhabitants.”
18. Wide shot, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya addressing Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“We cannot deny the obvious facts. It is indeed Israel which attacked Iran on the eve of the latest planned round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran. Thereby West Jerusalem not only demonstrated blatant disregard for the efforts that have been undertaken to seek a diplomatic solution to issues around the Iranian nuclear program, but also demonstrated contempt for its key ally, the United States, which up until recently had been declaring an intent to reach a compromise solution on this matter.”
20. Wide shot, US Ambassador Dorothy Shea addressing Council
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Dorothy Shea, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“It is not too late for the Government of Iran to do the right thing. President Trump has been clear in recent days that Iran’s leadership must completely abandon its nuclear enrichment program and all aspirations of acquiring a nuclear weapon.”
22. Wide shot, Shea addressing Council
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Dorothy Shea, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“While the United States was not involved in Israel’s strikes, let there be no doubt that the United States continues to stand with Israel and supports its actions against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran’s leaders could have avoided this conflict had they agreed to a deal that would have prevented them from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, but they refused to do so – choosing instead to delay and deny.”
24. Wide shot, Iravani addressing Council
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Amir-Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Iran:
“Israeli airstrikes are an assault on the global non-proliferation regime. Security Council Resolution 487, which was adopted unanimously, clearly stated any military attack on the safeguard nuclear facilities is an attack on the entire IAEA safeguard system and the NPT itself. The Security Council must implement its resolution. If the Council fails to act now, it will send a message that international law and resolutions apply selectively. If the non-proliferation regime collapses, this Council will share responsibility with the Israeli regime.”
26. Wide shot, Iravani addressing Council
27. SOUNDBITE (English) Amir-Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Iran:
“Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and under the world's most extensive inspections. Iran has long advocated for a nuclear-weapon-free-zone in the Middle East. Israel is the only possessor of undeclared nuclear weapons in the region. It's refused to accede to the NPT and blocked regional disarmament efforts.”
28. Wide shot, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon addressing Council
29. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“Mr. Iravani, you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat. And we are done pretending otherwise.”
30. Med shot, Iravani
31. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“Iran has already enriched uranium to new weapon-grade levels. Cannot be denied. We saw the reports. It has built deep underground facilities designed to survive bunker busting bombs. It has advanced missile delivery systems, and it has lied to the IAEA and the world at every step. There must finally be an acknowledgment that there is no greater threat to international peace and security than a nuclear Iran.”
32. Wide shot, end of Council session
33. Wide shot, Danon talking to reporters
34. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“The same regime whose Supreme Leader calls for the extermination of Israel and the United States, whose operatives have plotted assassinations of elected leaders, now sends its ambassador to cry victim before the Security Council. This week alone, the ambassador over Iran submitted five letters within a week, five letters, not to condemn terrorism, not to announce it is dismantling its nuclear program, but to seek sympathy for a regime that funds, arms, and orchestrates terror across the globe. Iran is not under attack. Iran is being stopped.”
35. Pan right, Danon walks away
Secretary-General António Guterres today (20 Jun) called on the parties to the Israel – Iran conflict, as well as potential parties to the conflict, to “give peace a chance,” and said, “let us act -- responsibly and together -- to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink.”
Addressing the Security Council, Guterres said, “there are moments when the choices before us are not just consequential -- they are defining. Moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially, our collective future. This is such a moment.”
Guterres said, “the world is watching with growing alarm. We are not drifting toward crisis – we are racing toward it. We are not witnessing isolated incidents -- we are on course to potential chaos. The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen.”
He said, “the only thing that is predictable is that the consequences of continuing this conflict are unpredictable. Let us not look back on this decisive moment with regret.”
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, for her part said, “the intensifying cycle of attacks and counterattacks has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties, including fatalities, in both Iran and Israel,” reporting to the Council official Iranian figures of 224 people killed and more than 2,500 others injured in Israeli strikes across Iran as of 19 June, 90 percent of them civilians.
Other estimates, she said, “based on local non-governmental organizations and human rights groups, suggest the death toll is at least double the official figure.”
In Israel, DiCarlo continued, “the Office of the Prime Minister stated that, as of 19 June, Iran’s strikes have killed 24 people and injured 915 others, the vast majority civilians. The strikes have also damaged homes, leading to the displacement of Israelis.”
IAEA Director-General Mariano Grossi briefing the Council via video teleconference, said, “attacks on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic of Iran have caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security in Iran. Though they have not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur.”
Grossi said, “in case of an attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment. Similarly, a hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment. In their worst-case, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population or the need to take stable iodine, with the reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres.”
He said, “any action against the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor could have severe consequences, potentially for large areas of the city of Tehran and its inhabitants.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya, in his address to the Council said, “it is indeed Israel which attacked Iran on the eve of the latest planned round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran. Thereby West Jerusalem not only demonstrated blatant disregard for the efforts that have been undertaken to seek a diplomatic solution to issues around the Iranian nuclear program, but also demonstrated contempt for its key ally, the United States, which up until recently had been declaring an intent to reach a compromise solution on this matter.”
US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said it was “not too late for the Government of Iran to do the right thing,” noting that US President Donald Trump “has been clear in recent days that Iran’s leadership must completely abandon its nuclear enrichment program and all aspirations of acquiring a nuclear weapon.”
Shea told the Council that “while the United States was not involved in Israel’s strikes, let there be no doubt that the United States continues to stand with Israel and supports its actions against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”
She said, “Iran’s leaders could have avoided this conflict had they agreed to a deal that would have prevented them from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, but they refused to do so – choosing instead to delay and deny.”
Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani for his part said Israeli airstrikes were “an assault on the global non-proliferation regime,” and called on the Council to “implement its resolution.”
Iravani said, “if the Council fails to act now, it will send a message that international law and resolutions apply selectively. If the non-proliferation regime collapses, this Council will share responsibility with the Israeli regime.”
The Iranian Ambassador said, “Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and under the world's most extensive inspections. Iran has long advocated for a nuclear-weapon-free-zone in the Middle East. Israel is the only possessor of undeclared nuclear weapons in the region. It's refused to accede to the NPT and blocked regional disarmament efforts.”
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon, addressing Iravani directly, said, “you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat. And we are done pretending otherwise.”
Danon told the Council that “Iran has already enriched uranium to new weapon-grade levels,” and “has built deep underground facilities designed to survive bunker busting bombs.”
He said Iran “has advanced missile delivery systems, and it has lied to the IAEA and the world at every step,” stressing that “there must finally be an acknowledgment that there is no greater threat to international peace and security than a nuclear Iran.”
Talking to reporters outside the Council before the meeting, Danon said, “the same regime whose Supreme Leader calls for the extermination of Israel and the United States, whose operatives have plotted assassinations of elected leaders, now sends its ambassador to cry victim before the Security Council. This week alone, the ambassador over Iran submitted five letters within a week, five letters, not to condemn terrorism, not to announce it is dismantling its nuclear program, but to seek sympathy for a regime that funds, arms, and orchestrates terror across the globe. Iran is not under attack. Iran is being stopped.”
