Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki has appealed to the United Nations for an active role to halt Israel's ongoing assault on Lebanon, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Saturday.

Iran "regretted that the UN Security Council has up to now not taken any measures to stop Israel's deliberate killing of defenseless Lebanese and Palestinian peoples and massive destruction of infrastructure in these two countries," Mottaki said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The top Iranian diplomat called on Annan to do his best to halt Israel's attacks on Lebanon.

"The international community, especially Muslims, hope you can fulfill your legal responsibilities based on the UN Charter and use the powers of your office to end the Zionist regime's unjust attacks," Mottaki said.

On July 12, Israel launched its offensive on Lebanon in retaliation for the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerillas in a cross-border attack which also killed eight others.

Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel from southern Lebanon since the battle broke out, while Israeli jets and artillery have responded with massive bombardment on targets across Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua