Excellency,

Upon instructions from my Government, and with reference to the letter dated October 23, 2006, circulated as document A/61/538-S/2006/841, I wish to inform you that the Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that the said letter, with various distortions and baseless allegations contained therein, is yet another failed attempt and tired smokescreen by the Israeli regime to distract the international community's attention from the real and serious threats that the said regime poses to international and regional peace and security. It is also an attempt to deflect the United Nations attention from the daily barrage of Israeli illegal threats to resort to force, as well as its horrendous cases of resorting to force, occupation and aggression, against the countries in the region.

The use of fabricated pretexts by various Israeli officials to publicly and contemptuously make unlawful and dangerous threats of resorting to force against the Islamic Republic of Iran is continuing unabated in total defiance of international law and fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations. In this regard, I would like to bring to your attention the following recent examples, as only a few among many such threats made against my country in the recent past:

- On November 10, 2006 , Ephraim Sneh, a Deputy Minister in the Israeli regime's cabinet, threatened that the said regime may launch a pre-emptive military strike against Iran 's peaceful nuclear program and said "I consider it a last resort. But even the last resort is sometimes the only resort."

- On October 19, 2006 Ehud Olmert, in a blatant threat against the Islamic Republic of Iran, said that Iran would have "a price to pay" if it does not relinquish its peaceful nuclear program. He also said "we have to prepare for the struggle to prevent this capability being attained", and further threatened that Iranians "have to be afraid" of the actions that may be taken by the Israeli regime.

- On May 15, 2006 , Josef Olmert, who works closely with the Israeli Mission to the United Nations in New York , threatened at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles that "Israel will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear capability, and will launch a unilateral military strike if necessary to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities". He, also, said that "Israel can't wait for the hope of regime change in Iran because time is running out."

- On March 7, 2006 , Moshe Ya'alon, the former Chief of Staff of the Israeli regime's military, said at the Hudson Institute in Washington DC , that Israel has a military option to counter Iran and "decision-makers must take the Israeli military option into consideration". According to press reports, he went on to give a rare detailed description of the said regime's military possibilities and intentions regarding Iran .

- On January 21, 2006, Shaul Mofaz, the current Israeli regime's Minister of Transport and a Deputy Prime Minister, said in Herzliya, "we are preparing for military action to stop Iran's nuclear program."

- On April 21, 2006 , the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, called for the assassination of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The said newspapers wrote in this regard: "….. his [our President's] elimination is therefore likely to contribute more to stability than to detract from it. The international condemnation of an Israeli assassination attempt on him would be limp and tolerable and is an alternative that seems more and more reasonable …"

These unacceptable, unlawful and dangerous statements can all be seen as a reflection of the criminal policies deliberated, and terrorist measures contemplated, in the mysterious and atrocious terror cells inside the Israeli gruesome state terrorism apparatus.

Regrettably, the inaction of the Security Council in dealing with such Israeli policies and practices and the impunity with which the said regime has been allowed to carry out its crimes so far, has emboldened it to continue and even increase its blatant defiance of the most basic and fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, to the extent that it engages as a matter of routine policy in resort to force, aggression and war crimes and openly threatens to use force against other members of the United Nations.

In view of the past Israeli illegal and terrorist behavior, these statements and threats constitute matters of extreme gravity that require urgent and resolute response on the part of the United Nations and particularly the Security Council. At the very least, the Council should react to these threats, by unequivocally condemning them and demanding that the said regime abandon its policy of flouting international law and the UN Charter and cease and desist immediately from resorting to the threat of use of force against members of the United Nations.

I would be grateful if you would circulate this letter as a document of the General Assembly under agenda items 13, 14 and 100 and of the Security Council.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

M. Javad Zarif