[Note: partially no sound]

The Untied Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting Sunday after Iran launched an attack on Israel a day earlier.

Many members of the Security Council have called for both sisdes to exercise restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions.

Speaking at the meeting, Iran's permanent representative Amir Saeid Iravani said Iran's action was a retaliation for the deadly assault on its consulate in Syria.

Iravani also criticized the U.S. for defending Israel's "massacre and genocide against defenseless Palestinian people", while Israel's permanent representative denounced the attack.

"For over six months now, these countries, especially the United States, have shielded Israel from any responsibility for the Gaza massacre. While they have denied Iran inherent right to self defense against Israeli armed attack on our diplomatic premises, at the same time they shamefully justified the Israeli massacre and genocide against defenseless Palestinian people on the pretext of self-defense," said Iravani.

"This attack crossed every red line, and Israel reserves the legal right to retaliate," said Gilad Erdan, Israel's permanent representative to U.N.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted that "the Middle East is on the brink" of a crisis, urging maximum restraint by the parties concerned.

On Saturday night, Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike in Damascus that killed several Iranian commanders. Israeli officials said Iran had fired more than 300 projectiles, including 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles at Israel, the first time that it had targeted the Jewish state directly. Iran-backed militants in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen also fired rockets, drones and missiles at Israel.

SHOTLIST

FILE: U.N. headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown
2. U.N. flag;

U.N. Headquarters, New York City - April 14, 2024
3. Various of meeting in progress;
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Amir Saeid Iravani, Permanent Representative of Iran to United Nations (starting with shot 3):
"For over six months now, these countries, especially the United States, have shielded Israel from any responsibility for the Gaza massacre. While they have denied Iran inherent right to self defense against Israeli armed attack on our diplomatic premises, at the same time they shamefully justified the Israeli massacre and genocide against defenseless Palestinian people on the pretext of self-defense.";
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Gilad Erdan, Israel's permanent representative to U.N.:
"This attack crossed every red line, and Israel reserves the legal right to retaliate." ;
6. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking;

FILE: U.N. headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown
7. U.N. flag;
8. U.N. sign.

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