In a letter addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN Security Council Michael G. Waltz on March 22, Saeed Iravani denounced the exploitation of Jordan’s territory for the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

What follows is the full text of his letter:

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Excellency,

Upon instructions from my Government, and further to our letters dated 3, 7, 9 and 16 March 2026 (S/2026/121, S/2026/139 and S/2026/146), I wish to respond to the letter dated 19 March 2026 from the Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Nations (S/2026/209). I categorically and unequivocally reject the unfounded and misleading allegations set forth therein, and hereby place on record the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the clear international responsibility of Jordan arising from its own internationally wrongful acts.

First, as stated in our aforementioned letters, the United States of America and the Israeli regime carried out an armed attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran on 28 February 2026, in contravention of the fundamental principles and rules of international law, including the prohibition of the use of force and the peremptory norm (jus cogens) prohibiting aggression. The letter from Jordan deliberately omits this central and determinative fact and instead seeks to invert the legal reality by attributing responsibility to the victim of aggression. Regrettably, in the course of this cowardly act of aggression, the facilities, territory and airspace of certain States in the region, including those of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, were placed at the disposal of the aggressors for the commission of acts of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Second, according to monitoring and assessments conducted by the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the aggressors have repeatedly utilized the territory and airspace of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for the planning, preparation, equipping and execution of unlawful military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Illustrative instances include:

Fighter aircraft stationed at Al-Azraq Air Base, including F-16, F-15 and F-35 aircraft, have on numerous occasions proceeded towards the southern part of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and, following aerial refueling operations over Jordanian territory, carried out acts of aggression against the southern provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The utilization of Jordanian airspace and the Al-Azraq Air Base by United States platforms participating in such acts of aggression is manifest and irrefutable; and

On multiple occasions, United States KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft, departing from Ben-Gurion Airport in the occupied territories, have accompanied U.S. fighter aircraft and, by transiting Jordanian airspace, conducted aerial refueling operations essential to the execution of those attacks.

Such conduct engages the international responsibility of Jordan under customary international law, as reflected in Article 16 of the International Law Commission's Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts. By knowingly facilitating and enabling these operations, Jordan has aided and assisted in the commission of a serious breach of a peremptory norm of international law.

Third, as consistently affirmed in prior communications of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Secretary-General and the Security Council, States are under a fundamental obligation not to knowingly allow their territory to be used, directly or indirectly, to cause harm to another State. This obligation is heightened where the underlying conduct constitutes aggression a violation of jus cogens. States must take all necessary measures to prevent foreign armed forces operating from their territory from committing acts of aggression and must refrain from facilitating, supporting or acquiescing in such acts. Jordan's failure to discharge these obligations, coupled with its active facilitation of the aggressors' operations, constitutes a serious breach of international law, engaging its international responsibility.

Fourth, the armed attacks carried out against the Islamic Republic of Iran-facilitated through the use of third-State territory, including that of Jordan-have resulted in the widespread and systematic targeting of civilian populations and essential infrastructure. Densely populated residential areas, airports, hospitals, schools and critical energy facilities have been deliberately and indiscriminately attacked. These acts have caused the death and injury of thousands of civilians, including women and children, and the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure. Such conduct constitutes grave breaches of international humanitarian law.

Since 28 February 2026, sustained military strikes by the United States and the Israeli regime have resulted in the martyrdom of more than 1,750 civilians, including 234 women and 208 children, among them 12 under the age of five. Over 22,800 individuals have been injured, including 3,500 women and more than 450 children. In addition, more than 70,000 civilian sites-comprising residential homes, commercial premises and service centers have been destroyed or severely damaged. Critical infrastructure has also been extensively affected, including 180 medical and pharmaceutical facilities, 36 ambulances, 498 schools and other educational institutions, 17 Red Crescent buildings, as well as multiple energy facilities and related infrastructure. These figures continue to rise as a direct consequence of the ongoing war of aggression.

Any State that knowingly aids or assists in the commission of such violations incurs responsibility under international law.

Fifth, Jordan's invocation of Article 2(4) of the Charter of the United Nations, international humanitarian law, and the principle of good neighborliness is wholly without legal merit. A State that has materially contributed to an unlawful use of force and an act of aggression cannot invoke those same legal norms to evade responsibility. Such reliance is incompatible with fundamental principles of international law, including the prohibition against invoking rights arising from one's own wrongful conduct.

In its 1971 Namibia Advisory Opinion, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirmed that: "One of the fundamental principles governing the international relationship thus established is that a party which disowns or does not fulfil its own obligations cannot be recognized as retaining the rights which it claims to derive from the relationship."

Sixth, Jordan's reliance on Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations is manifestly unfounded. A State that has facilitated or participated in aggression cannot invoke the right of self-defense in relation to the consequences flowing from that very conduct. The actions undertaken by the Islamic Republic of Iran were carried out strictly within the framework of its inherent right of self-defense in response to an ongoing armed attack against its sovereignty, territorial integrity and population; they were lawful, necessary and proportionate under international law.

Seventh, in light of the foregoing, any claim advanced by Jordan for compensation is entirely baseless. To the contrary, under the established principles of State responsibility, including the obligation of full reparation for internationally wrongful acts, it is the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan that bears responsibility for the extensive human, material and infrastructural damage inflicted upon the Islamic Republic of Iran as a result of the unlawful use of force and acts of aggression it facilitated.

The competent authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are undertaking a comprehensive assessment and documentation of all damage, including the large-scale loss of civilian life and the destruction of essential infrastructure. Iran expressly reserves its right to pursue all available legal and judicial remedies at the international level to ensure full accountability and reparation.

Eighth, the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its strong and unequivocal objection to the unlawful actions of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and calls upon the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to comply with its international obligations, including by immediately ceasing the provision of any form of support or facilitation for acts of aggression and preventing the continued use of its territory, airspace and facilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Ninth, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves all its rights under international law to hold Jordan accountable for its internationally wrongful acts. Continued attempts to distort the facts and evade responsibility risk further escalation and pose a serious threat to international peace and security. The Security Council must address the root causes of the situation, including the unlawful use of force and the complicity of States that have enabled such unlawful acts against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in full conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as an official document of the Security Council.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.