In the Name of God

Speech by H.E. Dr Salehi, Minister of Foreign Affairs if the I.R.Iran

On

The US Co-sponsored draft resolution against the Islamic Republic of Iran

Tehran, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 16 November 2011

Honorable ambassadors, Head of missions, ladies & gentlemen;

I thank you for attending this meeting in such a short notice

Following the previous briefing held on October 18, to elaborate the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the US baseless accusations against the I.R.Iran, I called for this meeting to elucidate yet another precarious move by the United States of America against my country and urge you to convey my message to your Capitals in order for the international community to be vigilant on the consequences of this well-thought evil plot which aims at disrupting the peace and stability of this region.

As you may be well aware, the United States has co-sponsored a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly against Iran on the basis of the so-called alleged plot to assassinate ambassador of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Washington. The draft resolution has been tabled under agenda item 18, entitled “The UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy” which is procedurally opened only every 2 years on the occasion of the biennial review of the Strategy.

Apart from this procedural question, which is, by and in itself, a critical open question, this is a highly bizarre move in the sense that it is the first time ever that an item of the General Assembly is being manipulated against a member state.

Though we have been used to all kinds of stigmatization and unjust political pressure by the United States, I have to confess that I was surprised this time to see the United States so bankrupt in their arsenal to mastermind such a despicable scheme to mount pressure on Iran.

I, in our previous meeting already expressed the position of my government toward this well-thought plot by the United States and warned against the consequences of such irresponsible policies for the peace and security of our region. We have communicated our positions to the UN member states in addition to three correspondences by the Permanent Mission of the IR.Iran in New York, explaining the views and position of my Government. In the meantime, we have made it clear in our communications with the UN Secretary General and the government of the Saudi Arabia, that the I.R.Iran, as a responsible State, would be ready to consider any evidentiary document about the alleged plot, within the framework of relevant international instruments.

To day, The international community bears a clear and critical responsibility and needs to be mindful of the overall intention of the U.S. administration, keeping sight of their long list of fabrication on which they have build their war mongering policies in other countries. We should not forget the fact that the US administration’s invasion of Iraq was based on such trivialities.

Moreover, the Member States of the United Nations has to be very vigilant over the abuse by the United States of the General Assembly as the main representative and deliberative organ of the U.N. The United States has already tarnished the image of the U.N. through its manipulation of the Security Council.

The draft resolution against Iran would simply create a very dangerous precedent in the history of the United Nations that a superpower can mobilize the General Assembly against its adversary by invoking a highly suspicious claim yet to be substantiated against an individual. This would also put the whole global campaign against terrorism at risk since the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy which was adopted by consensus is being abused to pressurize a Member State. This may surely continue to do so against any other member state. This becoming a precedent, the General Assembly may potentially issue tens of resolutions against different countries each year.

Therefore the I.R.Iran requests all Member States to stand united against this evil move by the United States which is unjustified by any standard, procedurally and substantially, and be highly alarmed against the dire implications of this act for the international relations and for the credibility and image of the United Nations, particularly the General Assembly.

We will continue to follow this issue with utmost sense of responsibility toward peace and stability in our region. We invite all States, in the region and beyond, not to lose sight of the very fact that the source of the whole story is Iran’s archenemy, the United States. A minimum sense of caution and suspicion in dealing with this plot is the least we expect from all States; even from those States we might have differences with regard to other issues.

At the end I shall reiterate that the I.R.Iran, with all transparency and tranquility, has tried to keep informed the international community about the consequences of the U.S. illegal moves in this regard. But I would like to emphasis that the I.R.Iran will never remain indifferent to any thereat against its own and regional peace and security. No doubt, the international community and our neighbors recall the exceptional ravages of the U.S. illegal policies toward this critical region

End.
Last Updated: 17 November 2011