US Calls on UN to Condemn Irans Escalation of Houthi Support and Gulf Attacks

On July 13, 2026, the United States’ representative to the United Nations addressed the Security Council, demanding that Iran be held accountable for a series of actions that the United States says threaten regional stability and violate international law.

The speech opened with brief thanks to the President and the briefing team before turning to an Iranian flight that landed in Sanaa on July 3. The aircraft carried personnel from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including drone and missile experts. Iran described the mission as a transport of Houthi officials to the late Supreme Leader’s funeral, but the United States said the flight was a covert transfer of military expertise to the Houthi movement—an organization the United Nations has designated as a terrorist group.

The United States argued that the flight directly contravened Security Council Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015. That resolution imposes an arms embargo on the Houthis and requires them to cease all actions that threaten the political transition in Yemen. The speech noted that Iran has not provided overt support to the Houthis since the aborted Mahan Air flights to Sanaa in 2015, yet Houthi leaders celebrated the July arrival as a successful evasion of international isolation.

The representative also highlighted that the flight occurred despite explicit instructions from the Republic of Yemen not to allow Iranian aircraft into Yemeni airspace. The United States described Iran’s disregard for Yemen’s sovereignty as “unacceptable.”

In addition to the Yemen incident, the United States cited a series of Iranian attacks on Gulf states and maritime shipping that occurred in the preceding week. According to the speech, Iran launched unmanned aerial vehicles and missiles against three civilian commercial vessels transiting Omani territorial waters. One of the vessels—a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker—was set on fire. On Saturday evening, Iran struck a container ship en route to the United Arab Emirates, leaving one Indian national missing.

The United States also listed attacks on Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The speech referenced an incident in which three people, including a child, were injured by falling debris after Iranian attacks on Qatar. The representative called these strikes “unacceptable” and “a deliberate provocation” that contradicted the diplomatic progress made between the United States and Iran in a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2026.

The memorandum was based on a clear understanding: the United States would suspend military action, and Iran would refrain from threats and the use of force. The speech noted that Iran has repeatedly violated this understanding. The United States warned that it would respond with force if Iran continues to shoot at ships, describing U.S. military operations as a response to threats in self‑defence and defence of others.

The speech concluded with a statement that the United States stands with Gulf partners and the Republic of Yemen against the Iranian‑supported Houthi threat. The United States reaffirmed its commitment to working with Security Council members to use sanctions and other tools to support a peaceful resolution to the Yemen conflict and to safeguard international peace and security.

The United Nations Security Council has already adopted Resolution 2817 on March 11, 2026, condemning Iran’s “egregious attacks” on Gulf states and on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The resolution was sponsored by Bahrain and received support from 136 countries, the largest number of cosponsors for any Security Council resolution.

The speech was delivered in the context of the ongoing 2026 Iran war, which began on February 28, 2026 when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian targets. Iran’s retaliation has included missile and drone attacks on Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf states, as well as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The United States has imposed sanctions on Iranian entities and individuals linked to the support of the Houthis.

In summary, the United States representative urged the Security Council to communicate to Iran that its actions—supporting the Houthis and attacking Gulf shipping—are contrary to international law and unacceptable. The United States reiterated its readiness to defend maritime freedom and to use all available measures to counter Iranian aggression.