Iran strikes aimed to destroy nuclear enrichment capacity: US tells UN

The US told the UN that recent Iran strikes aimed to destroy its nuclear enrichment capacity, citing self-defense under Article 51 while reaffirming commitment to a potential diplomatic deal with Tehran.

In Short

• US struck Iran to destroy nuclear enrichment capacity
• Aim was to stop Iran obtaining nuclear weapons
• US informed UN Security Council via letter

The objective of US strikes on Iran last weekend "was to destroy Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and stop the threat that this rogue regime obtains and uses a nuclear weapon," the United States told the United Nations Security Council in a letter on Friday, seen by Reuters.

"The United States remains committed to pursuing a deal with the Iranian government," wrote acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea. Washington justified the strikes as collective self-defence under article 51 of the founding UN Charter, which requires the 15-member Security Council to be immediately informed of any action states take in self-defence against armed attack.

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