Addressing a UN Security Council open debate on advancing political solutions in the Middle East through mediation and dialogue, held in New York on June 10, Saeed Iravani said durable regional stability depends on respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and cooperation among regional states. He also criticized the continued military presence and policies of the US and warned against the use of threats and coercion in dealing with Iran.
What follows is the full text of his statement:
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
We welcome the President of Colombia's leadership in convening and presiding over this important high-level open debate. In the context of today’s discussion, I would like to highlight following points:
First, to advance peace, stability, and security in the Middle East, the Security Council must address the root causes of conflict and instability. These include the continued occupation of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian territories; repeated acts of aggression by the Israeli regime across the region and the prolonged military presence of the United States in the region, coupled with its malicious policies of hegemony that have fueled confrontation, insecurity, and mistrust for decades.
Until occupation and aggression persist, resistance against it will continue. No political or diplomatic process can legitimize or justify occupation or aggression, nor can any durable solution be achieved without addressing this fundamental reality. Accordingly, lasting peace, stability, and collective security in the region require an end to occupation, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, accountability for acts of aggression, and the consistent application of international law without selectivity or double standards. Only on this basis can the region move toward genuine peace, stability, and shared security.
Second, recent developments in the region, particularly the unwarranted and unjustified war waged by the United States against Iran, have once again demonstrated that the continued foreign military presence in the Persian Gulf cannot bring lasting security to the region. Sustainable peace, stability, and security can only be achieved through dialogue, cooperation, and confidence-building among the countries of the region themselves, on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality, good-neighborliness, and full adherence to international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, free from external interference and coercion.
Third, the United States and the Israeli regime have repeatedly violated the comprehensive ceasefire of 8 April. In the face of these continuing violations and armed attacks, Iran has exercised, and will continue to exercise, its inherent right of self-defense, as recognized under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, in response to any act of aggression. Iran remains fully determined to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security, and its people. The United States and the Israeli regime, as the aggressors, will bear full responsibility for all consequences arising from their unlawful actions and any ensuing escalation.
Fourth, no sustainable deal can be reached through threats, intimidation, or the use of force. The President of the United States should refrain from his recurring threats against Iran, including his renewed threat of force made today.
Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or coercion. The United States has repeatedly pursued this failed policy and should have learned by now that threats and military intimidation are counterproductive. If Washington is genuinely interested in a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of threats and engage with Iran on the basis of mutual respect, sovereign equality, and full adherence to international law.
I thank you.
MNA
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