Iran

Allow me to express my felicitations to the President on his election and express the confidence that, with his wisdom and diplomatic skill, he will ably guide the fifty-second General Assembly towards tangible results. Let me also express my appreciation to his predecessor for his excellent work. Due to lateness of the hour, I will present a brief version of my statement. The complete text will be distributed. At the threshold of the third millennium and under the circumstances of unfolding interplay among not one or two but various powers in the shaping of new global decisions, international relations need a new doctrine, commensurate with the evolving conditions and emerging needs. The main objective of this doctrine is the gradual realization of a global civil society, a society where liberty and salvation harmoniously coincide to meet the spiritual and material needs of humanity in an institutionalized manner, and where comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development lies at the foundation of universal cooperation and participation. The doctrine of global civil society is predicated on two major principles, the first being the institutionalization of the rule of law in domestic and international relations. The international community today, like its constituent Member States, simply cannot provide a peaceful and prosperous life for people through coercion, autocratic decisions and a cultural domination and hegemony. Therefore, the rule of law, as the very foundation of order and the relations among individuals and States, should be institutionalized. The second major principle is that of empowerment and participation. Similar to the process of participation at the national level — where all individuals, regardless of colour, race, opinion, wealth or social status have an inalienable right to determine their own destiny — countries and regions with differing cultures and resources should enjoy the right and be empowered to participate at all stages of decision-making and policy implementation at the global scale. Today, North and South constitute two complementary domains in a single global arena. Equilibrium and stability of the future world order depend, in large measure, on the South’s contribution to the shaping of the norms governing future international relations. In our view, we can move towards the gradual realization of a global civil society through institutionalization of these two fundamental principles and by committing ourselves to pluralism, tolerance, dialogue among civilizations, promotion of human rights, comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development, justice and equality of opportunities as the governing norms in our interactions. The political philosophy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is in full accord with these fundamental foundations of the prospective global civil society. The domestic programme of the new administration is geared towards strengthening the foundations of civil society. The main features and priorities of the new administration’s foreign policy include the following: the expansion of relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect, common interest and non-interference in the internal affairs of others; emphasis on the 23 institutionalization of international law as the foundation of global order and as the final arbiter among States; the establishment and strengthening of mechanisms of mutual confidence-building and security through regional cooperation and the negation of the presence and influence of foreign powers; the protection of all human rights and the rejection of attempts at selective and discriminatory abuse of human rights as instruments of policy; emphasis on the fundamental rights of oppressed individuals and nations, particularly the Palestinian people; the arresting of the arms race at the regional and global levels, the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and the control of conventional weapons; the strengthening of the bonds of amity and solidarity among Islamic and non-aligned countries; an active presence and constructive participation in the United Nations and other international organizations, with an effective contribution in international efforts on global issues such as arms control and disarmament, comprehensive and sustainable development, human rights, peacekeeping and combating terrorism and illicit drugs, as well as the reversal of unjust international arrangements; and, finally, defending the rights of Iranian citizens all over the world. The Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted concrete measures at the regional and international levels in pursuit of these principled policies, and it is fully prepared to cooperate with all countries towards achieving common objectives in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. The question of Palestine, which lies at the very heart of the Middle East crisis, represents the most vivid and persistent case of disregard for international law and the systematic violation of fundamental human rights of individuals and peoples. The Middle East crisis can be solved only through the full realization of the rights of the Palestinian people, in particular their right to self- determination, the return of refugees and the liberation of all occupied territories, including Al-Quds al-Sharif, southern Lebanon and the Syrian Golan. The experience of the past few years has made it abundantly clear that any scheme or proposal which fails to take into full account the realities in the region or the infamous Israeli patterns of behaviour is bound to fail. It is indeed unfortunate that some outside powers deliberately misconstrue or misrepresent Iran’s frank, open and objective exposé of the realities as support for terrorism and as opposition to peace and security in the region. I reiterate once again that the Islamic Republic of Iran also seeks peace and stability in the Middle East — a just and lasting peace that would receive regional consensus and that would cure this chronic crisis once and for all. Our region has witnessed for nearly two decades the crisis in Afghanistan. There is, undoubtedly, no military solution to this tragedy; yet some warring factions have yet to realize this evident truth. Only through the establishment of a ceasefire, the cessation of foreign intervention, negotiations between all Afghan groups and the formation of a broad-based Government representing all Afghans can the crisis in Afghanistan find a lasting solution. My Government is determined to continue its humanitarian and peacemaking endeavours in Afghanistan in tandem with the United Nations Secretary-General and the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. I must draw the attention of the international community to the dire need for and the urgency of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. The cold war generated a tendency in internal and external relations which required the existence of a real or imagined enemy. Escaping this state of mind and building a new world based on cooperation and the rule of law requires not only political will, but careful planning in order to foster confidence and to mitigate economic, security and social concerns at national and regional levels. Confidence-building at national, regional and international levels, as an essential strategy to transform human relations, will not succeed in the absence of transparency in decision-making and the participation of all concerned. The antithesis of universal participation in decision-making and law-based cooperation at the international level is unilateralism. This phenomenon finds its manifestations in various areas, including arms control, development, international trade, the environment and codification of new human rights norms. The first and most effective step towards building confidence is the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, the reduction of conventional weapons, transparency in the field of armaments and the establishment of security and cooperation schemes in various regions of the globe. This endeavour requires the full and non-discriminatory implementation of existing undertakings in the area of disarmament and security and the development of new rules to address universally accepted priorities, as well as security requirements of the international community and its members. 24 The Islamic Republic of Iran, on the basis of Islamic principles, considers weapons of mass destruction inhumane and illegitimate. Officials of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have repeatedly confirmed the fact that Iran’s nuclear activities are performed within the framework of the Agency’s regulations and that they follow peaceful objectives. Despite these clear facts, some Governments have embarked upon a barrage of false and baseless accusations against Iran during the past few years. Yet propaganda campaigns of public deception will certainly not change regional realities on the ground. It is self-evident that the lack of security in the Middle East is rooted in Israel’s militarism and its arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, which have thwarted all disarmament initiatives and mechanisms in the region. Furthermore, the unabated race for the acquisition of conventional weapons exacerbates the atmosphere of anxiety and mistrust. The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is founded on peace, self-restraint, confidence-building and the reduction and elimination of tension, particularly within our region. I wish to inform the Assembly frankly and sincerely that of all the countries of the Middle East, Iran allocates the lowest percentage of its budget to its military. In 1995 and 1996, only 3.3 per cent of our gross domestic product was spent on defence. We continue to be ready for any regionally acceptable understanding on further reductions in defence budgets such that the security concerns of large and small countries alike are fully addressed. The highest foreign policy priority of the Islamic Republic of Iran is to make every effort to strengthen trust and confidence and to build peace in our immediate neighbourhood, which in cases such as Tajikistan has achieved encouraging results. In our region, the Economic Cooperation Organization has also contributed to the expansion and consolidation of relations among its member States through the adoption of common positions and by playing an active role in the field of economic and technical cooperation. In the Persian Gulf area, only cooperation and collective participation can bring about security and stability for all countries in the region. Taking full advantage of historical affinities, cultural ties and religious bonds and sparing no effort to utilize in an efficient and coordinated manner the human and natural potential and resources of the region constitute the single best long-term guarantee of security and tranquillity. Iran — as the biggest country in the region, enjoying a historical depth of several millennia combined with the richness of Islamic civilization — does not need to engage in any arms build-up or competition. Our message to our neighbours is one of friendship and fraternity, and we shall warmly welcome any initiative to strengthen the foundations of confidence and cooperation in the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran, which in December will be hosting the eighth Islamic summit, is of the view that on the threshold of the twenty-first century, the primary task of the summit will be to foster mutual confidence and establish mechanisms for cooperation and coordination in various fields among Islamic countries. This will undoubtedly contribute to the further strengthening of the foundations of lasting international security and stability. Terrorism is the wicked result of widespread lawlessness and the violent obstruction of public participation, which in its various forms and manifestations threatens human societies at the national, regional and international levels. The political exploitation of this international problem, through hurling unfounded allegations in order to advance certain ulterior motives or cover up deficiencies in domestic or external policy, is no less dangerous than terrorism itself. These two elements together diminish trust, stability and security at the regional and the international levels. Resolution of this destructive problem requires a determined avoidance of sensationalism and demagoguery on the one hand, and a concerted international attempt to find practical measures to combat terrorism that are reasonable, objective and realistic on the other. More important, our collective success requires the non- selective, universal and law-based application of agreed measures by relevant international organizations. As a country that has suffered immensely from the inhuman phenomenon of terrorism in the post-revolution years, the Islamic Republic of Iran is prepared to take an active part in any international effort to combat this problem in a serious, comprehensive and principled manner. The resolution of complex international problems and the realization of post-cold-war opportunities require the participation of all members of the international community in the decision-making process, on the basis of the rules and principles of international law. The United Nations is the institutional embodiment of both universal participation and the rule of law on the global scale. It is the only universal organization which, with the 25 help of an efficient and capable system, can move towards finding solutions to the problems of human society and responding to post-cold-war challenges. The magnitude of this task clearly points to the need to improve the efficiency of the Organization and to enhance its role by embarking on the transformation and reform of the major bodies, programmes and modes of operation of the Organization. I should like to express appreciation for the Secretary- General’s efforts to reinvigorate the Organization, and to assure him of our earnest desire to cooperate with him in the process of restructuring the United Nations into a more efficient, capable and reliable institution responsive to the needs and views of all its Members. In our opinion, the extensive scope and implications of the measures envisaged in the Secretary-General’s report of 16 July make it imperative for the General Assembly to establish working groups to examine the report thoroughly and in detail so that the views of all Member States are identified and taken into account. There is no doubt that the current composition of the Security Council is remote from the state of international affairs today and is not acceptable to the overwhelming majority of the international community. In our opinion, any increase in the membership of the Security Council or reform of its working methods will have to take the true role and concerns of the developing countries into account. Moreover, reform of the working methods of the Security Council should not be contingent upon resolution of the question of the increase in the membership of the Council; they are two distinct subjects and thus require two separate decisions. The General Assembly is undoubtedly the highest and most representative organ of the United Nations, where all Members of the Organization enjoy an equal right to participate. This body, which comprises the entire membership, certainly has the right — and indeed the responsibility — to address each and every issue of global concern, including in particular those relating to international peace and security. Expansion and broadening of the participatory base of the future global order on the basis of norms acceptable to all cultures and peoples is most conducive to building a better tomorrow, and to ensuring freedom, security, stability and sustainable development at the national, regional and international levels. The General Assembly, providing all Member States with the opportunity for full and equal participation in decision- making, is the most appropriate venue for dialogue, understanding and the adoption of coordinated international measures to build a better and a more equitable tomorrow. As the new Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran assumes its responsibilities, I reiterate the willingness and full preparedness of my Government to take a constructive part in this collective endeavour through promoting dialogue, understanding, trust and solidarity.