US Envoys Fumble At UN: Blames Israel For Middle East Chaos By Mistake, Quickly Points To Iran

New Delhi: A US diplomat's verbal slip-up at a UN Security Council meeting has sparked controversy amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Dorothy Shea, the US Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to the UN, accidentally blamed Israel for spreading "chaos, terror, and suffering" in the Middle East before swiftly correcting herself to attribute the chaos to Iran instead.
During her speech, Shea initially stated, "Israel's government has also spread chaos, terror, and suffering throughout the region."
However, she quickly realized her mistake, took an awkward pause, shook her head, and rephrased her words: "Iran's government has also spread chaos, terror, and suffering throughout the region." The momentary lapse drew significant attention, with the incident going viral on social media.
Mrs. Dorothy Shea, United States ambassador to the United Nations: "We can no longer ignore that #Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon" #Israel #IsraeliranWar @USUN pic.twitter.com/YSEEgUXTwf — Dean Shmuel Elmas (@ElmasDean) June 21, 2025
Despite the gaffe, Shea's message remained clear and firm in its condemnation of Iran's actions. She emphasized the US's unwavering support for Israel, stating, "Let there be no doubt that the United States continues to stand with Israel and supports its actions against Iran's nuclear ambitions." Shea reiterated the stance of US President Donald Trump, stressing that Iran "must completely abandon its nuclear enrichment program and all aspirations of acquiring a nuclear weapon."
The US diplomat was unequivocal in her criticism of Iran, highlighting Tehran's hostile stance toward Israel. Shea noted that Iran has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction and "death to America." Furthermore, she cited the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' recent statement, which identified Tehran as the principal source of instability and terror in the Middle East region.
Shea also addressed the ongoing conflict, stating that Iran's leadership could have avoided the current situation had they agreed to a deal that would have prevented them from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "Iran has all it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon; the only remaining thing it needs is a decision from its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei," she said. The US diplomat urged the UN Security Council to press Iran to change its course, emphasizing that escalating rhetoric would yield nothing for Tehran.
In her speech, Shea reaffirmed that the US was not involved in the recent Israeli strikes against Iran. However, she made it clear that the US stands firmly with Israel, supporting its actions against Iran's nuclear ambitions. "Let us not forget that the Iranian government was an enabling and ideological material force behind Hamas's deadly assault on Israel," Shea added.

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