During increased tensions between Israel and Iran, a gaffe by a senior US diplomat at the UN Security Council (UNSC) session on Friday caused uproar. The US Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to the UN, Dorothy Shea, briefly attributed ‘chaos, terror and suffering’ in the Middle East to Israel before rushing to correct herself to Iran.
In her speech, Shea declared, “Israel’s government has also spread chaos, terror and suffering throughout the region,” broke into a silence, shook her head, and corrected herself, “Iran’s government has also spread chaos, terror and suffering throughout the region.” She proceeded without interruption, declaring, “Let us not forget that the Iranian government was an enabling and ideological material force behind Hamas’s deadly assault on Israel.”
US Reaffirms Support for Israel
Undeterred by the embarrassing moment, Shea reaffirmed America’s unshakable support for Israel. “Let there be no doubt that the United States stands firm with Israel and stands behind Israel’s actions in the face of Iran’s nuclear drive,” she stated.
She called on Iran to go another way, saying it was ‘not too late for the Iranian government to do the right thing’. Quoting President Donald Trump’s line, Shea added that Iran ‘must abandon its nuclear enrichment program entirely and all ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon’.
She reminded the council of Iran’s aggressiveness, noting Tehran had long demanded the ‘destruction of Israel and death to America’. The US diplomat also referenced a recent joint declaration by G7 leaders, labeling Iran as the ‘principal source of instability and terror’ in the region.
Iran Warns of US Involvement
Reacting to the mounting tensions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday threatened that any additional involvement by the US would be catastrophic and said, “It would be very, very dangerous for everyone” if America got directly involved in the conflict.
Trump Issues Deadline to Iran
Earlier on the day, President Trump had shown doubt about any near-truce, stating that it would be ‘very hard to stop’ Israel from continuing its assault. “Israel’s doing well in the area of war. And, I think, you would say that Iran’s doing less well. It’s a little bit hard to get somebody to stop,” Trump stated.
While the White House indicated that there was still a ‘substantial chance of negotiations’, Trump left no doubt for Iran. “I’m giving them a time period, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” he said, threatening US military action if Iran does not back down.
Shea wrapped up by urging the UNSC to push Iran to change its policy, emphasizing that ‘escalating rhetoric’ will not be in Tehran’s interests.