NEW YORK: Israel`s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities constitute a `grave danger and a serious threat` to the peace, security, and stability of the entire region and beyond, Pakistan told the United Nations Security Council during an emergency session convened on Friday.

In his remarks, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, strongly condemned the `unjustified and illegitimate` aggression by Israel against Iran, reaffirming that Islamabad stood in resolute solidarity with the Iranian government and people.

Amid escalating tensions, the Pakistani envoy urged the Security Council to discharge its responsibility to uphold international law and stop this aggression immediately.

Ambassador Asim strongly called for the resolution of the crisis through dialogue and diplomacy.

Crossed every red line Iran`s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi requested the Security Council meeting, saying Israel `has now crossed every red line, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished`.

Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council he was addressing the body on behalf of his government and people with the utmost urgency and grave alarm.

We strongly and unequivocally condemn the barbaric and criminal attack, a series of targeted assassinations against senior military officials, nuclear scientists and innocent civilians, he said.

These deliberate and systematic killings were not only illegal and inhuman, a chilling display of calculated aggression.

These atrocities constitute a clear act of State terrorism and flagrant violation of international law, the Iranian envoy added.

He said Israel`s attacks on protected nuclear facilities defied not only the fundamental principles of international law but also common conscience, warning that damage to such sites could release catastrophic radiological consequences across the region and beyond.Only a regime devoid of humanity and responsibility would endanger millions of lives in pursuit of its destructive ambitions, Iravani said. Among those supporting the request for a meeting were Algeria, Pakistan, China and Russia.

Stay diplomatic course Briefing the Security Council, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, told ambassadors that the repercussions of the attacks were already reverberating.

`I reaffirm the Secretary-General`s condemnation of any military escalation in the Middle East,` she said, urging both Israel and Iran to exercise maximum restraint and `avoid at all costs a descent into deeper and wider regional conflict`.

She also noted that the military escalation came just as `some significant diplomatic developments` were unfolding, including the planned resumption of United States-Iranian talks in Oman at the weekend. Latest reports indicate that Iran will no longer attend.

DiCarlo urged parties to stay the diplomatic course. `A peaceful resolution through negotiations remains the best means to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran`s nuclear programme,` she said. `We must at all costs avoid a growing conflagration which would have enormous global consequences.

`Completely unprovoked attack` Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned that Israel`s actions in the Middle East are pushing the region to a largescale nuclear catastrophe.

This completely unprovoked attack, no matter what Israel says to the contrary, is a gross violation of the UN Charter and international law, he said, expressing Russia`s strong condemnation of the strikes.

He accused Western members of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of contributing to the current crisis through their policies toward Iran and its nuclear programme.

They have been doing everything to fuel the escalation and essentially incited it, he told ambassadors.-APP