The Statement by Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Before the open Debate of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East including the Palestinian Question April 18 2024 - New York

The Statement

 by Dr. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Before  the open Debate of the UN Security Council

on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question"

April 18, 2024 - New York

 

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful

Mr. President,

Over the past months, the Security Council has held several meetings to deal with various types of war crimes and genocide by the Israeli regime against Gaza, which despite the adoption of three resolutions and a press statement requesting an immediate ceasefire, and the extensive and unrestricted delivery of aid to the people, have yielded no “practical result" - I repeat - "no practical result".

At the same time, strong and widespread popular protests requesting ending the war and genocide against the people in Gaza have been going on all over the world including in the hearts of Europe and the United States.

During the same period, and despite the international community’s appeal to stop the war, the Israeli regime has continued to kill and destroy with the utmost brutality, resulting, among other things, in more than 34,000 Palestinian civilians getting killed, mostly women and children, and the injury of tens of thousands of others, the forced displacement the population of Gaza, and deliberate destruction of more than 70% of residential areas and infrastructures, including the vast majority of hospitals, mosques and churches, educational centers and historical and cultural places  as well as targeting of aid convoys and aid workers and the killing of World Central  Kitchen workers as only some examples of the vast destruction for which the Israeli Regime is responsible.

Mr. President,

The attack on the first of April on the Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus showed yet again that this regime does not hesitate to violate the fundamental principle of the immunity of such places and people as well as the Vienna Conventions. As the majority of the members of the Security Council declared at the April 2 meeting here, the attack was a clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and thus is strongly condemned.

Regrettably, the Security Council has not taken any action during the past months to our official and repeated requests to prevent further attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran's interests, centers and military advisories, due to the unfortunate and completely irresponsible behavior of the United States, the UK and France, in response to this illegal attack, failed even to issue a mere statement containing a simple condemnation!

Mr. President,

No member state  -- I repeat -- " member state " will remain silent in the face of such a brazen and serious military attack on its Embassy, which is considered a symbol of its sovereignty as well as the killing of its legal, official, and diplomat agents. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which until recently had shown considerable restraint against other terrorist missile attacks bearing in mind the dire situation in the region and willing to give the role of the United Nations a chance to prevent the escalation of the conflict, was faced with the continuation of the White House's green light granted to the Israeli regime as well as the continued inaction of the Security Council in preventing these attacks. Therefore it could no longer be patient against the attack on its Embassy and the attack on its sovereignty.

Therefore, Iran's military attack on April 13th, was first and foremost, necessary because Iran had no other option; secondly, it was carried out in response to a series of attacks and recurring aggressions by the Israeli regime on Iran's interests, especially on our Embassy in Syria; Thirdly, it took place in the fulfillment of Iran's right to legitimate defense under international law; Fourthly, it was conducted by observing the criterion of non-aggression to civilian people and places; And fifthly, it focused solely on the two military bases of the Israeli regime which had been used in the attack on our Embassy, and therefore it was completely limited and proportionate in terms of scope and military requirements.

Moreover, since it was clear that the supporters of the Israeli regime, who are unrelenting partners in its carnage in Gaza, would assist the regime in neutralizing the Iranian attack, a wide variety of weapons were used to ensure the achievement of the attack's goal i.e. legitimate defense. The attack by my country’s armed forces was limited and minimal, targeting only military bases and was in line with international law and the principle of non-aggression against civilian areas to ensure proportionality and accurate execution.

I emphasize again: Iran's legitimate defense and countermeasures have been concluded. Therefore, the Israeli regime must be compelled to stop any further military adventurism against our centers, assets and interests. Certainly, in case of any illegal use of force by the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate a bit to assert its inherent right to give a decisive and proper response to it to make the regime regret its actions. This is an unchangeable decision.

I would like to make it abundantly clear in New York that Iran has always been a positive part of regional developments, treading the path of stabilizing peace and lasting security, including the fight against terrorism, and will have no reservations nor compromise at all with any party over our national security and interests as well as the collective security in the sensitive region of West Asia. The Security Council must compel the rogue and rebel regime of Israel to immediately stop the war and genocide in Gaza.

 

Mr. President,

The crimes of the Israeli regime during the past 195 days in Gaza and other areas of occupied Palestine, as well as its attacks on other countries in the region, are indicative of several undeniable facts:

* The attacks of this regime have all it takes to be construed as the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide and therefore the regime and its allies are fully responsible and all the commanders, perpetrators and supporters of those crimes must be held accountable and brought to justice for their atrocious crimes.

* The essence and nature of the Israeli regime is based on aggression, occupation, terror and genocide. All of its past actions, such as the so-called peace negotiations, the conclusion of the Abraham Accords, and the normalization of relations, were not only peaceful, but inherently and completely deceptive, and as a result, lacked any practical results to realize the inherent rights of the Palestinian nation.

* More than six months of massive attacks by the Israeli regime on Gaza and the West Bank proved that the destruction of the Palestinian resistance and Hamas, as a liberation movement established against the occupation, is nothing more than an illusion. The support of all the nations of the region and the freedom seekers of the world for the praiseworthy resistance of the Palestinian nation also proved that this nation is not at all alone in realizing this inherent right. Israel is not a legitimate state, it is only an occupying power, and the passage of time does not and will not give legitimacy to the occupying power because based on the well-known principles of international law, the occupation of a land is temporary, even if it lasts for decades.

 

Mr. President

The Security Council is strongly expected to shoulder its responsibility  and adopt a comprehensive and decisive resolution under the seventh chapter of the United Nations Charter on the following matters:

1_ Establishing an immediate, complete, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in all areas of Gaza, especially in Rafah; and even in the West Bank.

2__ Full lifting of human blockade against Gaza;

3_ Exchange of prisoners for humanitarian purposes;

4_ Obligating the regime to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all military forces and their warfare equipment from Gaza and the necessity of the safe return of the people to their areas and places;

5_ Enforcing a comprehensive and immediate arms embargo against the Zionist regime;

6_ Supporting the legally binding provisional orders of the International Court of Justice and also providing the basis for trial and accountability of all the commanders, perpetrators and supporters of Israeli crimes in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories due to the widespread and heinous commission of genocide, the targeted killing of journalists, the UN humanitarian workers, and the employees of popular service institutions, repeated use of non-conventional weapons, including phosphorus bombs, and repeated threats by Israeli regime officials to use nuclear bombs in Gaza;

  

Mr. President

The Islamic Republic of Iran supports full membership of Palestine in the United Nations.

 I would like to reiterate that the root of the Middle East crisis lies in the occupation of the historical land of Palestine. Its comprehensive, just, and permanent solution also lies in providing the necessary ground for the complete and free realization of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination through holding a referendum among all the original Palestinian residents, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, with the help of the United Nations leading to the establishment of an inclusive government in the historical land of Palestine.

I would like to assure you, Mr President, that the Islamic Republic of Iran will remain committed to promoting peace and stability in the region. As a matter of fact, when we talk about sustainable security and stability in the region and countering terrorism, it is impossible not to mention the very significant and prominent role played by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the fight against terrorism. One cannot fail to praise the dedication and selfless sacrifices made by its commanders, especially Major General QassemSoleimani, General Zahedi, and Rahimi and their companions who were martyred in the recent missile attack by the Israeli regime on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.  Undoubtedly, sacrifices made by General Soleymani, and IRGC in restoring peace to the region and rushing to the aid of the governments and people of Iraq and Syria are known to everyone. In this line, Iran's anti-terrorism military advisors will continue, as mightily as ever,  their efforts to achieve lasting security in the region.

Mr. President,

I would like to conclude my remarks with this universal poem by the world-renowned Iranian poet, Saadi, a piece of poem that is engraved on the carpet donated by Iran to adorn the wall of the United Nations building; the very same Iranian carpet that symbolizes the strategic patience, science, knowledge, art and streangh of Iran and all Iranians all over the world:

“Human beings are members of a whole

In the creation of one essence and soul

If one member is afflicted with pain

 Other members uneasy will remain

 

Thank you, Mr. President.