Geneva: Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva condemned United States actions toward Venezuela as a violation of international law and the UN Charter during a session of the UN Conference on Disarmament on Wednesday.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Ali Bahreini raised concerns over developments in Latin America and the Caribbean and said United States hostile and provocative actions against Venezuela posed “a serious threat to international peace and security.” He referred to years of illegal sanctions, unilateral coercive measures, and Washington’s efforts to overthrow the Venezuelan government, including attempts to assassinate its lawful officials. He said that with the deployment of a naval fleet and a nuclear submarine in the Caribbean, the United States was openly threatening the political independence and territorial integrity of Venezuela.

Bahreini said such actions constituted “a blatant violation of fundamental principles of international law, particularly Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.” He added that the United States was also violating provisions on the peaceful settlement of disputes, Article 2(3), and non-interference in the internal affairs of states, Article 2(7).

He said the purpose of establishing the United Nations was to promote the rule of law and international law in relations among states, not force and pressure, and cited a June United States attack against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities in coordination with Israel as further proof of Washington’s disregard for diplomacy.

He underlined that threatening a non-nuclear state party to the NPT with a nuclear submarine by a permanent UN Security Council member was a grave blow to disarmament and non-proliferation. He also noted the United States move violated the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which establishes a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Latin America and the Caribbean.