At a heated U.N. Security Council session, U.S. Ambassador Michael Waltz declared that Washington “stands by the brave people of Iran” and warned that President Donald Trump has “all options on the table to stop the slaughter,” citing reports of thousands killed in the crackdown on anti‑regime protests. Iran’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Gholamhossein Darzi rejected the allegations, accusing Waltz of spreading lies to hide U.S. involvement in fomenting unrest and warning that any “direct or indirect” act of aggression would be met with a “decisive, proportionate and lawful” response, which he called a statement of legal reality rather than a threat. Russia’s U.N. envoy Vassily Nebenzia backed Tehran, accusing Washington of using the Council to justify “blatant aggression” and interference aimed at overthrowing an “undesirable regime,” and urging “hot heads in Washington and other capitals” to come to their senses and avoid strikes on Iran.