Russia, China and Pakistan urge ceasefire as UN meets over US strikes on Iran

Iran requested the UN Security Council meeting, urging the 15-member body 'to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.'PHOTO: REUTERS
The UN Security Council started meeting to discuss US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, as Russia, China, and Pakistan proposed that the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.
It was not immediately clear when the resolution could be put to a vote. The three countries circulated the draft text, diplomats said, and asked members to share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the United States, France, Britain, Russia, or China to pass.
The United States is likely to oppose the draft resolution, seen by Reuters, which also condemns attacks on Iran's nuclear sites and facilities. The text, however, does not name either the United States or Israel.
The world awaited Iran's response on Sunday after President Donald Trump said the US had 'obliterated' Tehran's key nuclear sites, joining Israel in the largest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.
Iran requested the UN Security Council meeting, urging the 15-member body 'to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.'
Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Israel 'do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called the US strikes on Iran a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge — and a direct threat to international peace and security.'
'At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace,' Guterres said in a statement.

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