Israel's U.N. ambassador amplifies Iranian women, urges Security Council to condemn recent attacks

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, used a press conference at the start of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women to spotlight Iranian women’s testimony and press the Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone strikes that he said targeted civilians across the region.

Danon opened by linking the U.N. meeting and International Women’s Day to “amplify the voices of Iranian women,” naming survivors and activists who will speak at a related side event. He described those women as having “spoken out against the regime, often at a great personal cost,” and cited activists who were injured or threatened for protesting.

“To the women of Iran, I say this. Your enemy is our enemy,” Danon said, asserting that Iran’s rulers have used “fear and brutality” against women, including arrests and beatings for showing their hair and jailing protesters.

Danon went beyond human-rights criticism to describe the Iranian government as a regional security threat. “In the past 11 days, Iran has fired missiles and drones across the region, at Israel, at our neighbors, and at civilian targets,” he said, and urged the U.N. Security Council to “clearly condemn these attacks and demand that Iran stop immediately.” Danon also said Israel is working to “dismantle [the regime’s] nuclear ballistic missile capabilities” and indicated operations aimed at leadership and military infrastructure.

Reporters pressed Danon on details. Pamela Faulk of U.S. News & World Report asked when the Strait of Hormuz might reopen and whether Iran’s new leadership would mark a change. Danon replied that Israel is “hunting the launchers” and seeking to degrade the regime’s ability to hit vessels and cities, adding that those measures make attacks harder but not impossible.

An attendee identifying himself as Abdul Hamid accused Israel of targeting “a school in southern Iran, killing 165 young girls.” Danon said Israel was investigating and stated, "We do not target civilians. We target military infrastructure," and said his office does not believe the Israeli Air Force was involved in that particular incident. The allegation and Danon’s denial were presented live in the question-and-answer exchange and were not resolved during the press conference.

A reporter from the Associated Press asked whether Israel supports former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States should have a say in Iran’s selection of leaders. Danon said leadership change alone does not necessarily change the regime’s ideology and said Israel would act against individuals who “promote those radical ideas,” while asserting it is ultimately for the Iranian people to choose their leadership.

Danon closed by inviting attendees to a side event titled “Speaking Up on Violations of Women's Rights and Human Rights in Iran,” which the organizers scheduled to follow the press conference.

The press conference transcript includes multiple factual claims about recent strikes, casualties, and military actions; those claims were made by Danon or raised by questioners and were not independently verified during the event. The press conference proceeded without a formal vote or U.N. decision; Danon’s request for Security Council condemnation would require action by that body.