US-Israel Airstrikes on Iran, Khamenei's Death, and UN Security Council Emergency Meeting

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned both sides, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to negotiations, warning of a wider regional conflict. U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz and Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon defended their actions as lawful and necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iranian Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani accused the U.S. and Israel of violating international law and committing war crimes, urging the council to act. The reported death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the strikes, later confirmed by Iranian authorities, adds a critical dimension to the conflict, raising concerns about a protracted struggle given his lack of a designated successor. Russia and China condemned the U.S.-Israeli actions and called for diplomatic solutions, while the United Kingdom, France, and Germany urged a resumption of U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks.