Over 1,300 Iranian civilians killed, nearly 10,000 civilian sites destroyed in U.S.-Israeli military strikes: Iran's UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, March 10 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,300 civilians have been killed and 9,669 civilian sites destroyed in Iran in the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel since Feb. 28, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, said Tuesday.

The civilian sites included 7,943 residential homes, 1,617 commercial and service centers, 32 medical and pharmaceutical facilities, 65 schools and educational institutions, 13 Red Crescent buildings, and several energy supply facilities, Iravani told the press in a statement.

"They are deliberately and indiscriminately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure across my country. They show no respect for international law and no restraint in committing these crimes," he said.

"Densely populated residential areas and critical civilian infrastructure are deliberately targeted," he said, adding that the figures continue to rise as the U.S.-Israeli military attacks continue.

Iravani listed several instances in which civilian targets were attacked, including heavy strikes on fuel storage facilities in Tehran and other cities on Saturday night, releasing large quantities of hazardous and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere.

The explosions caused severe air pollution and serious health risks for civilians, especially children, women, the elderly, and those with critical health conditions, he said, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

"These heinous attacks also violate international environmental obligations, including those under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity," he said.

Iravani noted that other instances included attacks on Mehrabad Airport in Tehran early Saturday morning, destroying or severely damaging several civilian aircraft and airport facilities, and attacks on a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island in Hormozgan province, disrupting water supplies to 30 villages.

He also said that in the early hours of Sunday, Israel carried out "a deliberate terrorist attack" against the Ramada Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon, killing four Iranian diplomats. "The targeted killing of diplomats on the territory of another sovereign State is a grave terrorist act, a war crime, and a flagrant violation of international law."

"The international community must act now to stop this bloody war against the Iranian people. We will take all necessary measures to defend our people, our territory, and our independence," he said. ■