um NATIONS Security Council Distr. GENERAL 8/25843 26 May 1993 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH LETTER DATED 25 MAY 1993 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Upon instructions from my Government and on the basis of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, I have the honour to bring the following to your attention: During the past few weeks, bands of armed and organized terrorist mercenaries have engaged in trans-border military attacks against and sabotage in Iranian border provinces. These bands, whose headquarters and military bases are located in Iraq where military training, financial and logistical support and intelligence services are provided to them, have admittedly perpetrated terrorist activities inside Iran, resulting in of civilians and military personnel and in infliction of damages to Iranian oil installations. The Islamic Republic of Iran has already reported some such instances to the United Nations and thereby warned Iraq against such terrorist activities by the mercenary group who has ironically given their subversive and sabotage operations wide publicity. In response to these armed attacks from inside Iraq and in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, today 25 May 1993, the fighter jets of the Islamic Republic Air Force carried out a brief, necessary and proportionate operation against the military bases of the terrorist group where the recent armed attacks against and incursions into Iranian territory had originated. Notwithstanding the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran has, on numerous occasions, warned the Government of Iraq against the use of its territory for launching armed attacks on and incursions into Iran, today's air raid against the terrorists' military bases in Iraq, a purely defensive meaSure in the exercise of its inherent right to self?defence, is without prejudice to Iran's policy of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq and to its commitment to resolution 598 (1987) and the cease-fire between the two countries. 93-30782 (E) 260593 260593 5/25843 English Page 2 It would be highly appreciated if you could have this letter circulated as a document of the Security Council. (Signed) Gholamali KHOSHROO Ambassador Charg? d'affaires a.i.