The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the situation in the Middle East at the request of Iran, the Swiss presidency of the Council announced.

The meeting will start at 15:00 New York time (21:00 Greek time) and is being held at the request of Tehran, which was supported by Algeria, China and Russia, the presidency clarified.

In particular, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araksi called the Security Council to meet on the “criminal attacks”, saying they are a “serious threat” to peace.

Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon rejected Iran’s accusations at the United Nations, saying in a statement that Iran is “trying to act against us in the diplomatic arena with the ridiculous claim that Israel has violated international law.”

“As we have stated repeatedly, we have the right and the duty to defend ourselves, and we will use all means at our disposal to protect the citizens of Israel,” Danon said.

It is noted that in his first comment after the Israeli attack, Iran’s supreme leader appeared to be playing down the tone, despite the pressure Tehran is receiving at home from hardliners to respond to the Israeli airstrike.

Israel’s attack in the early hours of Saturday should “neither be underestimated nor treated with exaggeration,” Khamenei said.

At the same time, Iranian President Massoud Pezheskian said Iran was not seeking war but would give an “appropriate response” to Israel’s recent attack, according to state media.