Iran's Currency Market In Turmoil Following Attack On Israel

The Sunday meeting followed the customary format of such gatherings, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioning members against exacerbating tensions through retaliatory measures against Iran, while the US and UK urged decisive actions to hold the Islamic Republic accountable for escalating the conflict to a new level.

Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and fired missiles on Saturday in its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, risking a major escalation. The attack was in response to an Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in Syria on April 1 that killed top Revolutionary Guards commanders and followed months of clashes between Israel and Iran's regional allies, triggered by the war in Gaza. The bloody crisis started on October 7 when Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,400 people and taking about 240 hostages.

Guterres told member states that the UN charter bars the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state as he also condemned Iran's attack on Israel. "The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," Guterres told the meeting, which was called after Iran's attack.

Robert Wood, deputy US ambassador to the UN, called on the 15-member body to unequivocally condemn Iran's attack, as he said the Security Council has an obligation to not let Iran's actions go unanswered.

"In the coming days, and in consultation with other member states, the United States will explore additional measures to hold Iran accountable here at the United Nations," he said, without providing specifics. "Let me be clear: If Iran or its proxies take actions against the United States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible."

The Wall Street Journal cited three Western officials as saying that Israel could soon respond to Iran’s Saturday attack, noting that the US won't take part in any such offensive operation. "We are not going to participate in any offensive operations against Iran," an official said.

Israel's war cabinet met Sunday but did not say how it would respond to the broad aerial attack from Iran overnight. Some Israeli politicians are calling for a "crushing attack."

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, accused Iran of violating international law at the meeting and played a video on a tablet that he said showed Israel's interception of Iranian drones above Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, one of Islam's holiest sites.

"Here, you can look at it," he gestured with the tablet and told the Iranian ambassador, who was also seated in the Security Council chamber. Erdan called on the Security Council to condemn Iran, reimpose sanctions and designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards a terror organization.

“Iran’s strategy has been crystal clear: arm, fund, and train terror proxies across the globe, to carry out Iran’s murderous scheme of domination. But today, the mask of Iranian deniability has been removed. No more hiding and no more bluffing. No more shirking of responsibility. Iran has attacked Israel from its own sovereign territory – publicly and proudly. The mask is off. Iran, the number-one global sponsor of terror, has exposed its true face as the destabilizer of the region and the world. And now – right now – is when the world must stop ignoring Iran’s crimes and take action.”

"The snooze button is no longer an option. The only option is to condemn Iran and utilize every means necessary to make them pay a heavy price for their horrible crimes," Erdan told the meeting.

Iran's UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, said his country's action was necessary and proportionate, and he said that while Tehran does not seek an escalation or war in the region and has no intention of engaging in conflict with the US, it reaffirms its right to defend itself.

"If the US initiates military operations against Iran, its citizens, or its security and interests, Iran will use its inherent right to respond proportionately," he said.

His comments come after the successful joint defense with US, UK and Jordanian air forces against a drone and missile assault by Iran overnight on April 13-14.

In a statement released on Sunday, Gallant detailed how the attack had been fought off with the help of the United States and other allied nations.

According to him, the aggression is a critical juncture for Israel to consider more collective security measures.

"We have an opportunity to establish a strategic alliance against this grave threat by Iran which is threatening to mount nuclear explosives on these missiles, which could be an extremely grave threat," he stated.

Earlier, Gallant outlined the scale of the attack on Israel, noting that "The State of Israel was attacked with hundreds of missiles and [unmanned aerial vehicles], and the [Israel Defense Forces] thwarted this attack in an impressive manner."

The minister stressed the importance of being prepared for any possible future scenarios.

Gallant's words came in a broader response from the Israel war cabinet, comprising himself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Benny Gantz, which is tasked with deciding Israel's tactical response to the Iranian threat.

Speaking to the nation on Saturday night, Netanyahu highlighted Israel's preparedness to face Iran in direct combat and noted that they were ready for “any scenario, defensively and offensively.”

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We will defend ourselves against any threat and will do so level-headedly and with determination," he noted.

"We were attacked last night from four corners of the Middle East with proxies shooting at us, firing missiles and ballistic missiles, drones and cruise missiles."

"This is like a real war. I mean, this is a declaration of war," he said, before adding that Israel would exercise restraint.

As tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Iran, the situation remains precarious, with the specter of conflict looming large.

In a bold statement underscoring the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari admonished Iran's regime for disseminating falsehoods and squandering precious resources.

Speaking in an interview with Iran International, Hagari urged the Iranian government to cease its propagation of lies and fabricated videos aimed at the Iranian populace.

Hagari minced no words as he accused the Iranian regime of wasting both money and resources, emphasizing that the regime's futile endeavors rendered hundreds of drones and missiles futile, ultimately consigning them to the metaphorical "garbage" heap.

Hagari's message wasn't confined solely to reproach; he extended a hand of solidarity and support to the Iranian people, affirming a shared commonality between them and the citizens of Israel. He emphasized that the true enemy of the Iranian people lay not with Israel but with their own oppressive regime.

"The people of Iran has a common enemy with Israel. It is the regime of Iran. You deserve better. You deserve freedom. Someone will hear your voice and we hear you in Israel. We hear you," Hagari added.

Hagari reaffirmed Israel's unwavering resolve to defend its sovereignty, emphasizing the IDF's preparedness to utilize its formidable capabilities.

Moreover, earlier today, revelations emerged that Israel's intended retaliatory strike was thwarted by the United States at the eleventh hour. According to an Israeli source cited by Iran International:

"The US prevented Israel from launching the attack it had planned in response to the Iranian strike 'at the last minute' on Saturday night."

His comments contrast with the official Iranian position for years arguing that Tehran's pursuit of nuclear technology is for "purely peaceful purposes."

Laylaz, an economist, journalist, and professor at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, claimed the statement is a "clear warning to Americans." He also underlined the fact that “Iran’s hands are never tied when it comes to national security issues."

His comments are far distanced from the regime’s repeated assurances to the world, anchored in the "nuclear fatwa" of the Supreme Leader, that Iran has no ambition to make nuclear weapons.

"We believe that besides nuclear weapons, other types of weapons of mass destruction such as chemical and biological weapons also pose a serious threat to humanity. The Iranian nation … feels more than any other nation the danger that is caused by the production and stockpiling of such weapons… We consider the use of such weapons as haram [forbidden] and believe that everyone must make efforts to secure humanity against this great disaster,” Khamenei said in a statement to the nuclear disarmament conference in 2010. However, many argue that this was not a fatwa, but a statement by a head of state.

The fatwa has been one of the central elements of Iran's defense, especially in its nuclear diplomacy, and most notably during the negotiations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from 2013 to 2015.

The attack exposed Iran's true colors, he said in an exclusive interview, underlining that when Tehran’s proxies failed to achieve their objectives, the Iranian regime resorted to a direct assault.

Hagari highlighted that 99 percent of Iran’s projectiles were intercepted, debunking the Islamic Republic’s claims about hitting targets in Israel. Hagari also pointed out that the only place Iran’s ballistic missiles reached was Nevatim Airbase, where “a small number” of missiles caused “a minor damage” and did not even halt the operation of the base. “We can show it live” that Israeli planes are departing from the base patrolling Israel’s airspace.

“Zero UAVs and cruise missiles entered Israel,” he said, confirming earlier reports that most of the projectiles had been intercepted before entering the Israeli airspace. “Only a handful of ballistic missiles” hit the Nevatim airbase and its surrounding areas. “This is all their capability.”

Differentiating between “the regime in Iran” and “the people of Iran,” Hagari said that the IRGC and its extraterritorial Quds force wasted a significant amount of Iranians' money on the attack. He further criticized Iran's misuse of resources, stating that the attack again highlighted how Iranian public funds are squandered on terrorism, rather than being invested in the nation's development and its citizens' well-being.

He also addressed the propaganda campaign by the regime about the attack, calling on the Islamic Republic not to "sell lies and fake videos to the people of Iran.” “You are wasting their money and their resources.”

The Iranian people know that the regime is lying, he pointed that, adding that the building targeted in Iran's embassy compound in Damascus was a base for the IRGC-Quds Force and not a diplomatic building. How come no diplomat was killed in the attack on the so-called consulate building, he asked.

Israel and all its partners are ready to defend Israel against Iran and its proxy forces, he said. “The strategic partnership between Israel and the US is ironclad,” he highlighted, referring to US President Joe Biden’s remarks.

Israel’s response will be demonstrably forceful, Hagari asserted, emphasizing action over rhetoric. "We will take all necessary measures to safeguard our national interests and the security of the Israeli people."

Iran launched more than 350 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles towards Israel Saturday/Sunday night local time, marking the first such attack in the history of the Islamic Republic.

Although the massive strike launched mostly from inside Iranian territory caused little damage, the risk of an Israeli response escalating into a full-blown war looms large.

The attack was anticipated given Iran's threats and warnings to retaliate against Israel's targeting of Iran’s consulate in Damascus on April 1. Intelligence assessments had predicted an imminent and significant strike.

Follow developments on Iran International's Live coverage of ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel.