TEHRAN, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iranian First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref on Tuesday accused the United States of backing Israeli "aggression" against Iran despite having no evidence that Iran's nuclear program was non-peaceful.
Speaking with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of a UN conference in Turkmenistan, Aref said Iran abides by international regulations and only accepted a ceasefire on June 24 for humanitarian reasons after 12 days of fighting.
He warned that repeated aggressions could destabilize West Asia and criticized the UN's inaction, saying "more appropriate actions" could have prevented the current crisis in Gaza.
Aref condemned the situation in Gaza as "barbaric," urging the UN to deter Israel.
Guterres, in response, called the United States and Israeli strikes on Iran illegal, emphasized diplomacy to resolve the nuclear issue, and stressed the importance of upholding Palestinian rights.
The recent conflict began on June 13 when Israel targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites. The United States bombed Iran's Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan facilities on June 22. Iran retaliated against both Israel and the United States, before a ceasefire took effect on June 24. ■
