I congratulate President Francis on the occasion of the opening of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly.
Since last year, when I addressed everyone from this rostrum (see A/77/PV.6). the world has witnessed bitter as well as sweet events, but nearly eight decades following the establishment of the United Nations, the new session of the General Assembly is beginning as the world is experiencing unprecedented and historic changes. Meanwhile, the assurance of a luminous future for human society lies in the devoted observance of lofty virtues that guide people towards excellence and noble ideals. What better source is there than the word of the Creator to encapsulate the essence of humanity and elevate the inherent values of humankind? The Holy Quran beckons humankind towards rationality, spirituality, truth and justice. It expounds upon the unity of humankind, embracing all earthly inhabitants. It seeks to guide all towards human dignity, which will lead to the blessings sought by humankind.
What has the Holy Quran said to infuriate and focus the attention of those who seek power and hold the reins of power? The Holy Quran says that humans do not accept oppression and that in their pursuit against it they will be able to attain elevated divine values. The Holy Quran speaks of equality among humans. It says that they were all created equally from a single mother and father. Even though there are natural differences between men and women, the Holy Quran sees them as completing one another and equal in the eyes of the Creator. The Holy Quran defends the sanctity of the family and sees children as gifts entrusted to us by God. Moreover, the Holy Quran calls on us to serve those who have less than we do and directs our beliefs and faith to recognize the sanctity of those values.
Is this the first time that the words of God the Omnipotent have been burned by those who presume that, while they do so. they can extinguish the divine voice for eternity? Did Nimrod. Pharaoh or Caesar triumph over Abraham. Moses and Jesus? The Holy Quran forbids all forms of violence in human interactions and deems respect towards Abraham.
Moses and Jesus on a par with and equal to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Those understandings, which bring unity and divine teachings that inspire and build human character, societies and progress for human societies will never be burned. They are eternal. They remain impervious. The fires of disrespect will not overcome the divine truth.
Islamophobia and the cultural apartheid witnessed in Western countries, and evident in actions ranging from the desecration of the Holy Quran to the banning of hijabs in schools and numerous other deplorable discriminations, are not worthy of human dignity. Even more concerning is the fact that, behind the scenes, there seems to be an agenda that seeks to divert attention by using the tool of freedom of speech. As one Westerner has said, now that the West is faced with a crisis of identity, it sees the world as a jungle and presents itself in the best of lights as a beautiful garden. Some powerful interests see that fabrication as their tool of choice. That apartheid has targeted the Muslim community, particularly immigrants, who are themselves victims of colonial policies.
In alignment with all adherents of faith and advocates for freedom, we firmly believe that reverence for religions should hold a prominent position on the United Nations agenda in order to inculcate the proper framework of respect for all world religions.
Concurrently with the war on Islam, we are also seeing a war against the institution of the family. The family is the most fundamental column supporting human development, which is now under attack. Today crimes against humanity include not just the occupation of lands, the oppression of peoples and mass killings, but also a concerted attack on the family itself. That. too. is a crime against humanity. The protection of the nucleus of the family, which is the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, is an inherent truth to be accepted by the entire world. The proper education of populations throughout the world will not yield the desired results unless it is undertaken within the framework of the family. “Mother”, “father” and “family” are divine and natural words and concepts.
We are seeing actions that can be viewed as seeking the end of the human race itself. We are today in need of a world movement that ensures commitment to the survival of the framework of the family, so that all family members can experience life in peace and stability side by side We therefore ask all religious leaders to assume their historical responsibilities in defending the sanctity of the family and to move against fabrications. We expect the United Nations to give this issue very high priority on its agenda and to offer the proper protection to the framework of the family.
We find ourselves at a critical juncture in history. The global landscape is also undergoing a paradigm shift towards an emerging international order. That trajectory is not reversible. The equation attributed to the hegemony of the West no longer resonates with the diverse realities of today’s world. The old liberal order, catering to the ambitions of voracious rulers and capitalists whose hunger has no end. has been relegated to obsolescence. In short, efforts to universalize American ideals throughout the world have proven to be a failure.
The Iranian nation takes pride in having instrumentally unmasked the true nature of the rulers in both the East and the West through its Islamic revolution. In conjunction with other nations of West Asia. Iran has played a significant role in defeating the global arrogance. Now. nations throughout the world are engaged in heightened resistance and awareness. As non-Western Powers have emerged, there is collective hope for the establishment of a novel and equitable world order.
Central to the coming international order is the abandonment of global arrogance in favour of regional cooperation and orders. The Islamic Republic of Iran advocates maximal economic and political convergence within and between regions and is interested in interacting with the global community under the principle of justice. However, as independent nations increasingly align themselves towards cooperation and convergence, certain Powers are attempting to incite conflicts in various regions. Employing a Cold War mentality, they strive to reconstitute blocs on a global scale. That regressive endeavour poses a significant threat to the security and prosperity of nations.
The Islamic Republic of Iran staunchly maintains that the formation of new East-West divides should not be permitted to take shape. Making trade corridors unsafe, diminishing the status of countries from allies to dependents, stifling the economic progress of sovereign nations, and fomenting proxy wars across Asia and Europe are all elements of that sinister chain. Ironically, such actions are undertaken in the name of defending democracy. However, the global community.
including nations of West Asia, have discerned the true essence of Western democracy — a designation that is all too often a code word for coups d’etat, occupations and ongoing wars. The true nature of the liberal democracy project has become evident to the world and has been revealed to be nothing more than a velvet glove hiding a cast-iron hand. A school that was once envisioned as a beacon for the world has been transformed into a cautionary tale illustrating the limitations and shortcomings of a system nearing the conclusion of its trajectory.
At the very moment when certain Powers are steering the world towards more wars, the Islamic Republic of Iran has put forward a policy of neighbourhood and integration. The policy of neighbourhood is benevolent towards the region and is prioritized on the regional agenda. The Islamic Republic extends a warm welcome to any hand that is extended in friendship, firmly believing that an independent and robust neighbourhood represents an opportunity for the entire region. We will welcome any extended hand quite warmly. A stable and powerful neighbour is healthy for a stable region. Having endured two decades of imposed tensions and crisis within our region — the fruit of the resilience of free nations from Syria and Palestine to Yemen and Afghanistan — the future prospects of the region can be secured through the cultivation of profound mutual political trust, fostering extensive economic cooperation and establishing indigenous security measures.
In alignment with that vision. Iran has established a new chapter of constructive relationships with likeminded neighbouring countries through membership in such regional and international mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Northeastern Economic Corridor. We have prioritized those developments in order to bring their benefits and their fruits to all peoples of the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran also stands ready to work to mitigate the effects of climate change, to bring its national capacity to bear on renewable energy production, and to share those with other countries.
In the security sector, the good-neighbour policy seeks to increase regional cooperation and prevent external meddling from the Caucasus to the Persian Gulf. Any type of foreign presence is not only not part of the solution, but is the problem itself. We view the security of our neighbours as our own security and any type of insecurity for them is insecurity for us. With benevolence and goodwill, we have taken initiatives throughout the region, although the convergence of politics and security still needs to be strengthened and can be realized only when it is accompanied by meaningful economic cooperation.
Due to continued military attacks and occupations, many opportunities for progress and development in the West Asian region have been set back. Under the holy leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Imam Khamenei, we have been able to drive back the rotten foundations of terrorism and create new opportunities for the region. The power of the Islamic Republic of Iran is an empowering security. We seek to extend our hand to neighbouring countries in order to establish new horizons of hope and success for the entire region. We believe that this must be a collaborative effort in the Muslim world. It requires the participation of all and is the only pathway to blessings and success in West Asia. The Islamic Republic of Iran has many and rare opportunities for investment that represent a great opportunity for countries throughout the world and the region.
Last year was the year of the victory of the people of Iran. Over the past year, certain Western nations and their intelligence services made a grave mistake and miscalculation that sought to diminish, undervalue and underestimate the power of the Iranian people. Ever since the Islamic Revolution’s victory under the leadership of Imam Khomeini, the enemies of Iran have sought, through various ongoing and never-ending plots, to impose their will on our people. For more than 44 years, those policies have been defeated by the Iranian people and the Iranian people have stood victorious again and again.
Now our enemies are faced with an Islamic Republic whose power and progress are based on profound ties with its people. Over the past year, the people of Iran have endured the powerful repercussions of a media and psychological war waged against them. Can the United States of America, which now possesses the world’s largest prison for women—and therefore for mothers — sincerely call itself the defender of women’s rights? The picture of Iran that it has sought to introduce to the world is a pastiche commingling legitimate and illegitimate news, lies and fake reports. Realities from Iran are censored throughout the world in order to negate the truth.
Have we heard anything at all about the chemical bombardment of the Iranian people, using chemical weapons supplied by certain European countries to
Saddam Hussein? Have we been shown those whose bodies are severely and gravely damaged by chemical attacks and who are still alive but have been hospitalized for 35 years? Have we seen their photos and images? Have we been shown the sick children who cannot survive diseases of the immune system because of the sanctions imposed on us. preventing us from obtaining proper medication for their treatment. Have we seen their photos? Have we seen any pictures of the patience, sacrifice and steadfastness of the Islamic people of Iran? Have we seen those pictures? Has anyone seen the unprecedented movement of the remembrance of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson — 22 million-strong marching towards his burial site for the anniversary of his martyrdom?
The security of many countries throughout our region is owed to the sacrifices of our martyr General Haj Qasem Soleimani. Had it not been for the sacrifice of that hero of anti-terrorism activities, many countries of the region would have burned to the ground in the fires set by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). Who has heard the steadfast stories of his heroic fight against terrorism in the Hollywood-like reports generated by the news media? Did anyone see the 25 million mourners of the late commander General Qasem Soleimani throughout Iran? Those were censored throughout the Western world. The terrorist act of his assassination was a prize given on a silver platter to Daesh. which, according to certain American officials, had confessed that ISIS was an American creation. His martyrdom was a gift to that same ISIS. Instead of being recognized for his sacrifices, he was assassinated. Why?
The Islamic Republic of Iran, through the use of all tools and capacities in order to bring to justice the perpetrators and all those who had a hand in that Government-sanctioned act of terror, will not sit idle until that is done. The blood of the oppressed will not be forgotten, and the guilty will be brought to justice.
The most serious threats in West Asia are extremism and fundamentalism. The eradication of terrorism, through an all-encompassing fight against its very roots and the very causes that gave rise to it throughout the world, will not be easily achieved. The surgical use of terrorists as a political tool by certain Western Governments will be overcome by the collective will of the people of the region. Certain intelligence and security services of Western countries, by moving terrorists in a very targeted fashion from area to area in the region in order to capitalize on their devastating capacities, continue to be asked — including by our Head of State. Prime Minister and congressional representatives — why they have given refuge again and again to officially recognized terror groups that have the blood of over 17.000 Iranian martyrs on their hands?
Why do the Europeans behave in this way? They must give a reasonable answer. Why do they claim to be fighting against terror even as they give refuge to terrorists? This is a double standard. Discrimination in the fight against terrorism is a green light given to terrorists themselves. Iran, which has itself been a major target of terrorists, has been at the forefront of fighting terrorism in the region. The people of the region see Iran as a secure partner for their own security, and the occupying regime in Jerusalem as the perpetrator of much of the violence in the region. Has the time not come to bring an end to seven and a half decades of the occupation of the Palestinians’ lands, of the demolition of their homes, and of the shedding of the blood of their women and children, and for the people of Palestine to be recognized officially as a country?
The continuation of the occupation by the Zionist regime of certain Syrian. Lebanese and Palestinian territories and the lack of recognition for the people of Palestine have been a negation of their inherent rights. The failure to form a proper Palestinian Government, with its rightful capital in Jerusalem, has been a tool in the hands of certain Governments in the region. Given the foundations that have been laid in the region by certain countries based on lies and destruction and occupation, those countries cannot be partners for peace.
The situation today in Afghanistan represents another example of foreign meddling in the region, which has led to the killing of over 70.000 men. women and children in that country. Iran insists on an all- encompassing Government with the participation of all Afghan groups and population, but the assistance of the world is needed in order to address the crisis of refugees who have been driven from Afghanistan, a great many of whom are being given refuge in Islamic Iran today.
With respect to the Ukrainian crisis and the war. I again recall our unambiguous position. As the Islamic Republic, we do not tolerate or support any war anywhere — not in Europe or anywhere else. We do not see how any war can benefit any side in Europe. Any type of tension and fanning of the flames of violence in Ukraine is the work of the United States of America in order to weaken the European countries. This is a longterm plan, unfortunately. We support any initiative for a cessation of hostilities and the war and announce our full support for such initiatives.
In leaving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). the American Government officially trampled upon its commitments. Breaking the agreement reached in the framework of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) was an inappropriate response to our fulfilment of commitments within that framework. The United States of America has committed egregious and unilateral crimes in the international arena. It must explain itself transparently, demonstrate in a verifiable fashion that it wishes to reach a proper conclusion, prove its commitment and choose a path, be it the JCPOA or not. By the same token, those European countries that ignore resolution 2231 (2015) and their commitments within the framework of the JCPOA will ultimately lose on that path.
Members of the General Assembly may rest assured that nuclear weapons have no place in the defensive and military doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The appropriate international organizations and multiple official reports have stated as much. Today just as two decades ago. the Islamic Republic of Iran will never stop short of obtaining the inherent right of the Iranian nation to peaceful nuclear energy. We have lived up to our commitments, but unfortunately the United States not only does not adhere to its own commitments within any framework of international treaties such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but it imposes sanctions as a political tool on nations such as the people of Iran. However. I reiterate today that those sanctions have not yielded the desired results. It is time now for the United States to stop traveling the wrong path and to choose the right side.
Humankind is entering a new framework. Old Powers will maintain their current downward trajectory. They are the past and we are the future. I repeat once again, they represent the past and we represent the future. We are the future; our view of the future is one of hope. The world awaits the day that has been promised by all Abrahamie faiths throughout the world. The ultimate seeker of justice does exist. We do believe that, in accordance with divine will and just as the divine prophets have promised, justice and fairness will overtake the world and the rule of those who sincerely follow the path of the Omnipotent will reverberate throughout the world. The world rejects ignorance. The world awaits the day in which the old paths will come to an end.