I am pleased and grateful to the Almighty to have the opportunity once
again to attend this important universal forum.
In the present tumultuous world, loud outcries,
threats and tensions predominate. The big Powers are
unable to solve present problems, and mistrust in
regional and international arenas is on the rise. The
psychological security of societies is targeted by an
onslaught of political and propaganda designs;
disappointment prevails with regard to the efficacy of
the policies and actions of the international
organizations in the establishment of durable peace and
security, and the protection of human rights is being
weakened. I plan to touch upon and explain the roots of
and solutions to these predicaments and some of the
principal challenges facing our world. I will also speak
to you about the need to remedy the present situation,
about prospects for a brighter and a more hopeful
future and about the appearance of the sublime, about
beauty, compassion and generosity, about justice and
the blossoming of all God-given human talents and
about the prominence of faith in God and the
realization of the promise of God. I will then submit
for your judgement the question of Iran’s nuclear
programme as a yardstick for the measurement of
honesty, efficacy, steadfastness and accomplishment. In
the closing part of my statement, I will offer my
proposals.
As you are all aware, mankind is currently facing
important, numerous and diverse challenges. I will
refer to some of them.
First, organized attempts to destroy the institution
of family and to weaken the status of women. Family is
the most sacred and valuable human institution. It is
the centre of the purest mutual love and affection
between mothers, fathers and children, provides a safe
environment for the nurturing of human generations
and serves as a fertile ground for the blossoming of
talent and compassion. This institution has been
respected in all times by all peoples, religions and
cultures. Today we are witnessing an organized attack
by the enemies and plunderers of humanity, who are
trying to destroy this noble institution by promoting
lewdness and violence and by crossing the boundaries
of chastity and decency.
Womanhood, as the manifestation of divine
beauty and supreme kindness, affection and purity, has
been heavily exploited in recent decades by the holders
of power and the owners of media and wealth. In some
societies, womanhood has been reduced to a mere
instrument of publicity, and all the boundaries and
protective shields of chastity, purity and beauty have
been trampled. That is a colossal betrayal of human
society and of future generations, and it is an
irreparable blow to the pillar of social coherence, the
family.
I now turn to the issues of widespread violations
of human rights, terrorism and occupation.
Unfortunately, human rights are being extensively
violated by certain Powers especially those who
pretend to be their exclusive advocates. Setting up
secret prisons, abducting persons, carrying out trials
and secret punishments without any regard for due
process, conducting extensive tapping of telephone
conversations, intercepting private mail and issuing
frequent summonses to appear at police and security
centres have become commonplace and prevalent.
These Powers prosecute scientists and historians for
stating their opinions on important global issues.
They use various pretexts to occupy sovereign
States and cause insecurity and division, and then use
the prevailing situation as an excuse to continue their
occupation. For more than 60 years, Palestine, as
compensation for the loss that it incurred during the
war in Europe, has been under the occupation of the
illegal Zionist regime. The Palestinian people have
been displaced, are under heavy military pressure or
economic siege or are incarcerated under abhorrent
conditions. The occupiers are protected and praised,
while the innocent Palestinians are subjected to
political, military and propaganda onslaughts. The
people of Palestine are deprived of water, electricity
and medicine for the sin of asking for freedom, and the
Government that was freely elected by the people is
targeted. Terrorists are being organized to attack the
lives and property of people with the blessings of the
politicians and military officials of the great Powers.
The brutal Zionists carry out targeted
assassinations of Palestinians in their homes and cities,
and terrorists are decorated with medals of peace and
receive support from the great Powers. On the other
hand, they attract a number of Jews from various parts
of the world by using false propaganda and by
promising to provide them with welfare, jobs and food,
and then settle them in the occupied territories,
exposing them to the harshest restrictions,
psychological pressures and constant threats. They
prevent these people from returning to their homelands
and, by coercion and propaganda, incite them to
malevolence towards the indigenous Palestinian
people.
Iraq was occupied under the pretext of
overthrowing a dictator and the existence of weapons
of mass destruction. The Iraqi dictator, who had been
supported by the same occupiers, was disposed of, and
no weapons of mass destruction were discovered, but
the occupation continues under different pretexts. No
day passes by without people being killed, wounded or
displaced, and the occupiers not only refuse to be
accountable for and ashamed of their military
adventure, but speak in a report of a new market for
their armaments as a result of it. They even oppose the
Constitution, the National Assembly and the
Government established by the vote of the people,
while not even having the courage to declare their
defeat and to leave Iraq.
Unfortunately, we are witnessing the bitter truth
that some Powers do not value any nation or human
being and that the only things that matter to them are
themselves and their political parties and groups. In
their view, human rights amount to profits for their
companies and their friends. The rights and the dignity
of American people are also being sacrificed for the
selfish desires of those holding power.
I shall now discuss aggressions against
indigenous cultures and national values. Culture is the
manifestation of identity, the key to the survival of
nations and the foundation for their interaction with
others. In an organized movement, indigenous cultures
that are messengers of monotheism, love and fraternity
are being subjected to broad and destructive
aggressions. National customs and values are being
humiliated, and the self-esteem and character of
nations are being ridiculed and defamed. The purpose
is to promote blind emulation, consumerism,
scepticism towards God and human values and the
plundering of the peoples’ wealth by great Powers.
With regard to poverty, illiteracy, health-care
issues and the gap between the rich and the poor, I
should like to say that, while a major part of the natural
environment in Asia, Africa and Latin America is being
plundered by the political and economic domination of
certain Powers, the situation of poverty and deprivation
is alarming.
Let me draw the attention of the Assembly to
some data issued by the United Nations. Every day,
nearly 800 million people go to bed hungry and about
980 million suffer from absolute poverty, having less
than a dollar a day in purchasing power. People in
31 countries equivalent to 9 per cent of the world’s
population have an average life expectancy of
46 years, which is 32 years fewer than the average in
developed countries. The gap between the rich and the
poor in some parts of the world has increased by
40 times. In many countries, the majority of the people
are deprived of access to education and schooling. In
developing countries, the rate of maternal mortality
during pregnancy is 450 per 100,000; that figure is 7 in
the richer nations. The infant mortality rate is 59 per
1,000 live births for the developing countries and 6 for
the richer nations. One third of the deaths throughout
the world or 50,000 deaths daily result from
poverty. I believe that those data clearly demonstrate
the tragic situation dominating economic interactions
in the world.
Next, I shall take up the forsaking of noble values
and the promotion of deception and lies. Some Powers
sacrifice all human values, including honesty, purity
and trust, for the advancement of their goals. They
propagate scepticism and deception in the relations
between States and peoples. They lie openly, level
baseless charges against others, act in contradiction to
legal norms and damage the atmosphere of trust and
friendship. In their relations with others, they openly
abandon morality and noble values, forsaking justice,
respect for others, love, affection and honesty for
selfishness, supremacy, enmity and imposition. They
sacrifice all the good things of life, including the
sublime, for their own greed.
I now turn to violations of rules of international
law and disrespect for commitments. Some, who
themselves have drafted international law, openly and
easily violate it and apply discriminatory policies and
double standards to others. Having drafted
disarmament regulations, they daily test and stockpile
new generations of lethal weapons. Having helped to
frame the Charter of the United Nations, they show
disrespect for the right of sovereign nations to self-
determination and independence. They conveniently
abrogate their formal treaties and do not yield to laws
concerning protection of the environment. Most of the
violations of international obligations are committed
by a few global Powers.
I will now talk about an escalation of threats and
the arms race. Some Powers, whenever their logic fails,
simply use the language of threats. The huge arms race
casts its menacing shadow over the entire globe. The
nations of Europe were the victims of two world wars
and a number of other devastating conflicts and were
subjected to the consequences of the cold war for many
decades. Today, Europeans are living under threat and
their interests, security and lands are endangered
because of the arms race carried on by certain big
Powers.
A bullying Power arrogates to itself the right to
set up a missile system, poisons the life of the peoples
of a continent and lays the ground for an arms race.
Some rulers who superficially appear to be powerful
actually believe that the tools they have at hand can be
used at any time and for any purpose and,
consequently, threaten others and cast the shadow of
insecurity over nations and regions.
International organizations and mechanisms
clearly lack the capacity to overcome problems and
challenges, to put in place fair and just relations and
peace, fraternity and security. There is hardly a
Government or nation that really trusts these
mechanisms to secure its rights or defend its
independence, territorial integrity and national
interests.
There are many more challenges besides the ones
I have enumerated. I know that I could have introduced
more had I wanted to touch upon them, but I chose to
confine myself to the ones I have stated. Now, the
important and decisive question concerns the roots and
causes of these challenges. A scientific and careful
analysis shows that two fundamental factors account
for the present situation. Without a doubt, the first
factor is the relations arising from the consequences of
the Second World War. The victors of the war drew the
road map for global domination and formulated their
policies on the basis not of justice but of safeguarding
the interests of the victors over the vanquished nations.
Therefore, for 60 years now, mechanisms arising from
this approach and related policies have been incapable
of finding just solutions for global problems. Some big
Powers still behave like the victors of the World War
and regard other States and nations, even those that had
nothing to do with the war, as the vanquished. They
humiliate other nations and make extortionate
demands. Their condescending ways are reminiscent of
medieval times and the old lord-serf relationship. They
believe that they should have more rights than others
and that they are not accountable to any international
organization.
Unfortunately, among all the ineffective bodies,
the United Nations Security Council ranks first; owing
to circumstances in which some Powers with an
exclusive and special right to the veto in the Security
Council act as prosecutor, judge and executioner. It is
natural that countries that have been subjected to those
Powers’ infringements of their rights have no hope of
getting what they deserve from the Council.
Regrettably, humanity has witnessed that in all
long wars like the Korean and Viet Nam wars, the
war of the Zionists against the Palestinians and against
Lebanon, the war of Saddam against the people of Iran
and the ethnic wars of Europe and Africa one
Security Council member was one of the belligerents
or supported one party, usually the aggressor, against
the other, or the conflict itself.
Let us take a look at Iraq. They first occupied the
country and then received authorization from the
Security Council the same Council in which the
same occupiers have the right of veto. Whom should
the people of Iraq complain about, and where should
they take their complaints, in the hope of securing their
rights?
We saw in Lebanon that some Powers, for 33
long days, prevented the Security Council from taking
any action against the Zionist regime with the hope of
giving it time to achieve victory. Then, when they
became disappointed at seeing their hopes unfulfilled,
they decided to put an end to the hostilities by adopting
a resolution. But the duty of the Security Council is to
prevent the expansion of conflicts, to put ceasefires in
place and to promote peace and security. To whom and
to what organization should the people of Lebanon
complain?
The presence of some monopolistic Powers has
prevented the Security Council from performing its
main duty, which is the maintenance of international
peace and security based on justice. The credibility of
the Council has been tarnished, and its efficacy in
defending the rights of United Nations Member States
has been undermined. Many nations have lost their
confidence in the Council. Some other mechanisms,
such as monetary and banking ones, are in the same
undesirable situation and have been turned into tools
that enable some Powers to impose their will on other
nations. It is evident that these mechanisms are not
capable of responding to current needs, solving
challenges or establishing fair and sustainable
relations.
Again, there is no doubt that the second and more
important factor is that some big Powers disregard
morals, divine values, the teachings of the prophets and
the will of the Almighty. They allow the rule of the
incompetent. How can the incompetent, who cannot
even manage themselves and conduct their own affairs,
govern humanity and arrange its affairs? Unfortunately,
these people have put themselves in the position of
God. They are in servitude to their own whims, and
they desire to have everything for themselves. For
them, human dignity and the lives, property and
territories of others are no longer respected. For
centuries, humanity has had a deep wound inflicted on
its tired body by impious Powers. Today, the problems
that people around the world face are mainly rooted in
disregard for human values and ethics, as well as in the
rule of the selfish and the incompetent.
The only sustainable approach to the betterment
of humankind is a return to the teachings of the divine
prophets, monotheism, respect for the dignity of
humans and the flow of love and affection in all
relationships, ties and regulations, and the reform of
present structures on this basis. To fulfil this objective,
I invite everybody to form a front of fraternity, amity
and sustainable peace, based on monotheism and
justice, under the name of the Coalition for Peace, to
prevent incursions and arrogance and to promote the
culture of affection and justice. I hereby announce that,
with the help of all independent, justice-seeking and
peace-loving nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran will
be heading down this path.
Monotheism, justice and compassion for humans
should predominate in all the pillars of the United
Nations, and this Organization should be a forum for
justice, where every member should enjoy equal
spiritual and legal support. The General Assembly,
representing the international community, should be
considered the most important pillar of the United
Nations and should, free from any pressure or threats
by big Powers, take the required measures for the
reform of the other United Nations structures including
especially the reform of the Security Council. It should
define new structures based on justice and democracy,
with a view to becoming responsive to present
requirements and settling existing challenges, thereby
bringing about enduring stability and security.
The nuclear issue of Iran is a clear example of
how such mechanisms perform and of the prevailing
thoughts behind them. Members are all aware that Iran
is a member of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and has always observed its rules and
regulations. It has had the most extensive cooperation
with that Agency in all areas. All our nuclear activities
have been completely peaceful and transparent.
According to the Statute of the IAEA, every
member has a number of rights and obligations. In fact,
all members have to stay on a peaceful path and, under
the supervision of the Agency, assist other members,
and they are entitled to be supported by the Agency
and have access to the fuel cycle with the help of the
Agency and its members.
Thus far, Iran has fulfilled all of its obligations
but has been deprived of other members’ technical
assistance and, even at times, of the Agency’s support.
For about five years, some of the aforementioned
Powers have, by exerting heavy pressure on the IAEA,
attempted to prevent the Iranian nation from exercising
its rights. They have derailed Iran’s nuclear issue from
its legal tracks, and have politicized the atmosphere to
impose their wishes through taking advantage of all
their potential.
The Government of Iran spared no effort to build
confidence, but they were not satisfied with anything
short of the complete halt of all activities, even those
related to research and university fields. They only
sought to deprive the Iranian people of all their
inalienable rights, even to the extent that centres not
involved in the fuel cycle or not in need of supervision
by the Agency were closed.
After three years of negotiations and attempts to
build confidence, the Iranian nation came to the firm
belief that the main concern of these Powers is not the
possible deviation of Iran’s nuclear activities, but is to
prevent its scientific progress under that pretext. If this
trend continues, there will be no possibility for Iran to
enjoy its rights, not even in the next 20 years.
Therefore, Iran decided to pursue the issue through its
appropriate legal path, one that runs through the IAEA,
and to disregard unlawful and political impositions by
the arrogant Powers.
In the past two years, abusing the Security
Council, the arrogant Powers have repeatedly accused
Iran and have even made military threats and imposed
illegal sanctions against it. However, by the grace of
faith in God and national unity, Iran has moved
forward step by step, and now our country is
recognized as one with the capacity for industrial-scale
fuel cycle production for peaceful uses. Unfortunately,
the Security Council, in dealing with this obvious legal
issue, was influenced by some bullying Powers and
failed to uphold justice and protect the rights of the
Iranian people.
Fortunately, the IAEA has recently tried to regain
its legal role as supporter of the rights of its members
while supervising nuclear activities. We see this as a
correct approach adopted by the Agency. Previously,
they illegally insisted on politicizing the Iranian
nation’s nuclear case, but today, because of the
resistance of the Iranian nation, the issue is back with
the Agency, and I officially announce that, in our
opinion, the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has
turned into an ordinary Agency matter. Today, many
important questions have been raised about the nuclear
activities of certain Powers within the IAEA, which
should be dealt with properly. Of course, Iran has
always been, and will be, prepared to have constructive
talks with all parties.
I would like to thank all the nations and countries
that, during this difficult period, defended the legal
rights of my nation and motherland. I also want to
express our appreciation to the members of the
Non-Aligned Movement, our friends in the Security
Council and in the IAEA Board of Governors, the
committed and law-abiding experts of the Agency and
its Director General for standing by the law. I would
also like to announce that, unlike the monopolistic
Powers, the Iranian nation is ready to offer to other
members its experiences in the form of educational
programmes, based on its obligations under the
Agency’s Statute and under Agency supervision.
Now I would like to address those who have
shown hostility towards the Iranian nation for some
five years and who have offended and accused my
people, who have contributed to the history and
civilization of the world. I advise them to learn from
history and their recent actions. They badly mistreated
the great Iranian nation, but they should be careful not
to inflict the same on other members of international
organizations, and not to sacrifice the dignity of
international organizations for the sake of their
unlawful wishes. Today the nations of the world are
wide awake and resistant. If those Powers reform
themselves, the whole world will be reformed. Nations
are inherently good and can coexist peacefully.
Those Powers should endeavour to serve their
own peoples; others do not need them. Is it not high
time for these Powers to return from the path of
arrogance and obedience to Satan to the path of faith in
God? Would they not like to be cleansed of their
impurities, submit to the will of God and believe in
him? Faith in God means believing in honesty, purity,
justice and compassion for others. They can be certain
that they will benefit from purity, honesty, justice and
loving and respecting human dignity. They can also be
certain that such values are, more and more, considered
appropriate, valuable and beautiful by the nations of
the world.
This is the invitation of all the divine prophets
from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ and
Mohammed, peace be upon him. If they accept this
invitation, they will be saved, and if they do not, the
same calamities that befell the people of the distant
past will befall them as well. According to the holy
Quran: One who does not answer the divine call
should not think that he has weakened God on Earth;
he has no companion but God and he is clearly
engulfed by darkness”. They have nothing of their own
and cannot escape from the dominion of the rule of
God and his will.
At this important gathering, I have to remind
them of the following words of the Almighty, which
are mentioned in the Holy Quran:
Do they not look at the powers and
Governments which came before them? If the
people of the past had actually possessed
something, they would have kept it and would not
have let you possess it now. God destroyed them
because of their sins, and nobody could protect
them against the will of God.
These Powers have to know that thoughts and
methods based on oppression and injustice are doomed
to failure. Do they not see the signs of vigilance and
resistance based on monotheism, philanthropy and the
justice-seeking spirit of the nations of the world? Do
they not notice that we are nearing the sunset of the
time of empires? I hope that this invitation will have a
practical answer.
Peoples and Governments are not obliged to obey
the injustice of certain Powers. Those Powers, for the
reasons already mentioned, have lost the competence to
lead the world. I officially declare that the age of
relations arising from the Second World War and of
materialistic thought based on arrogance and
domination is well over now. Humanity has passed a
perilous precipice and the age of monotheism, purity,
affinity, respect for others, justice and true peace-
loving has commenced.
It is the divine promise that the truth will be
victorious and the Earth will be inherited by the
righteous. Those who are free, believers and the people
of the world should put their trust in God. Those who
crave lofty values, wherever they are, should try to
prepare the grounds for the fulfilment of that great
divine promise by serving the people and seeking
justice.
The era of darkness will end, prisoners will return
home, the occupied lands will be freed, Palestine and
Iraq will be liberated from the domination of the
occupiers, and the peoples of America and Europe will
be free of the pressures exerted by the Zionists.
Tenderhearted and humanity-loving Governments will
replace the aggressive and domineering. Human
dignity will be regained. The pleasing aroma of justice
will permeate the world and people will live together in
a brotherly and affectionate manner.
Striving in that way to surrender rule to the
righteous and perfect human, the promised one, is
indeed the final cure for the wounds of humanity, the
solution of all problems, and the establishment of love,
beauty, justice and a dignified life throughout the
world. That belief and endeavour is the key to unity
and constructive interaction among nations, countries,
the people of the world and all true justice-seekers.
Without a doubt, the promised one who is the ultimate
saviour, along with Jesus Christ and other holy
prophets, will come. In the company of all believers,
justice-seekers and benefactors, he will establish a
bright future and fill the world with justice and beauty.
That is the promise of God; therefore it will be
fulfilled. Let us play a part in the fulfilment of all that
glory and beauty.
I wish for a bright future for all human beings,
the dawn of the liberation of and freedom for all
humans, the rule of love and affection all around the
world, as well as the elimination of oppression, hatred
and violence a wish that I expect to be fulfilled in
the near future.