At least 1,332 Iranian civilians killed in U.S.-Israeli airs

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 1,332 Iranian civilians, including women and children, have been killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes and thousands more injured, Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said Friday.

Over 180 children across the country have been killed and more than 20 schools have been damaged, Iravani told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, quoting the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The United States and Israel have deliberately targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure across Iran, demonstrating that they recognize "no red line in committing their crimes," he said.

Iravani said that Iranian cities are being attacked indiscriminately, and densely populated residential areas and critical civilian infrastructure are deliberately targeted.

"These acts constitute clear war crimes and crimes against humanity," he said.

To date, 13 healthcare facilities in the country have been attacked, and several civilian sports and recreational facilities in Tehran and other cities were deliberately targeted on Thursday, with more than 18 female athletes killed, and around 100 others injured, he said.

"Their intention is clear, to terrorize civilians, massacre innocent people, and cause maximum destruction and suffering," the ambassador said.

Their claims that they have targeted only military objectives are baseless, he said.

Noting that Iran will continue to exercise its inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter until the aggression stops, Iravani said Iran's response is "lawful, necessary, and proportionate," and it targets only the military objectives of the aggressors.

Iravani stressed that "Iran does not seek war," but Iran "will never surrender its sovereignty" and "will take all necessary measures to defend our people, our territory, and our independence."

On U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks on the election of a new supreme leader in Iran, Iravani said those constitute "a clear violation of the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of states enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations," vowing that Iran "does not accept and will never allow any foreign power to interfere in its internal affairs."

The Iranian ambassador called on all UN member states to condemn "this aggression, war crimes," and stop the aggression that poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.

"The Security Council must act now, firmly, clearly, and without delay," he urged.