Iran

An overall and realistic review of the current developments in international relations reveals that our world today faces the formidable challenge of extremism. Extremism has two distinct and yet interconnected faces: the violence and terrorism of non-State actors and the unbridled militarism of States. The former leads to increasing insecurity and the latter to increasing lawlessness. Insecurity is manifested in horrendous acts of extreme violence and terrorism, whether it is in Iraq, Afghanistan or Russia. Lawlessness is manifested in acting outside of international law and the United Nations Charter and relying on the glorification of force and the blatant use of military might. Lawless militarism of the powerful has given rise to increasing violence and terrorism and is also marketed as their panacea. We must be relentless against the former in a truly collective and all-inclusive manner, and we will muster the courage and national discipline to guard against the latter and remain within the confines of international law. The increasing insecurity and escalation of acts of violence and terrorism in different parts of the world are a matter of serious concern to all of us. The recent tragic incidents in Iraq, in the school in Beslan in the Russian Federation’s North Ossetia, and State terrorism in occupied Palestine have shocked and outraged all peoples worldwide. No rationale can justify the killing of children and the innocent. As terrorism has become an international challenge, an effective fight against it requires a global approach based on collective cooperation under the provisions of the United Nations Charter as well as the principles of international law. We must rise above business-as-usual politics and avoid discrimination, double standards and selectivity in our approach to fighting this global menace. As a victim of terrorism, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and we have demonstrated our strong commitment to fighting terrorism by the arrest and handover of the greatest number of Al Qaeda members apprehended by any single State to date. Our commitment fighting terrorism is unwavering. However, the prevailing international approach, which is primarily a law and order approach, is clearly failing to curb terrorism. We need to revisit our premises and try to develop a genuinely collective, inclusive, well-rounded and multidisciplinary approach, if we are serious about this fight. No State can even come close to doing it alone. The increasing lawless militarism, the second face of the challenge we encounter, is the use of brute and unsanctioned military force to achieve some political goals, albeit desirable goals. A clear example of this lawlessness is the attack against Iraq. The attack 33 against Iraq was illegal. I wish to thank our distinguished Secretary-General for making this statement a few days ego and courageously defending the Charter of the United Nations and the rule of law. If we, in this body, do not collectively defend the rule of law, we have helped to send the United Nations Charter to oblivion, thereby serving domination and militarism. We in Iran benefited greatly by the removal of Saddam Hussein. Many in Iran are joyous to see the murderer of their sons behind bars. However, as a matter of principle, and as a principle of the United Nations Charter, this cannot be regarded as anything but the fruit of the forbidden tree. The international community has demonstrated that it will not celebrate achieving this desirable goal through the illegal means of glorifying military power and rushing to use force without the approval of the United Nations. The increasing lawlessness of States constitutes even a greater danger to our security. It undermines our collective ability to contain terrorism and violence. It offsets our efforts to promote justice, equality, freedom, dignity and prosperity for all, because, if continued, it will lower everyone’s quality of life and devalue our humanity. The prevailing world realities illustrate that unbridled militarism and blind terrorism are mutually reinforcing. The international community must work together to find a way to liberate itself from this vicious cycle. In this context, one particular area that requires resolute action by the international community is the existence and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. As the only victim of the unbridled use of these weapons in recent years, Iran feels very strongly about the absolute imperative of a collective and rule- based multilateral campaign to eradicate all such weapons and to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons as an interim measure. This must be done by the universal application of disarmament and non- proliferation instruments in a comprehensive and non- discriminatory manner. The relevant multilateral instruments must become truly universal and the rights and obligations of all must be scrupulously enforced. Access to technology for peaceful purposes is the only true incentive for the universality of those instruments. At the same time, the legitimate disarmament and non- proliferation concerns of the international community must be addressed through transparency and the vigorous application of monitoring mechanisms. Iran has always been prepared to contribute actively to that global effort. While we insist on our right to technology for peaceful purposes, we have left — and will leave — no stone unturned in order to provide assurances of our peaceful intentions. Iran has been in the forefront of efforts to establish a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. This initiative, which has received the repeated approval of this Assembly and the Security Council, has been systematically obstructed by Israel’s intransigence and its rejection — regrettably, with impunity — of all multilateral instruments. All countries of the region and beyond are unanimous in considering the Israeli arsenal, including its weapons of mass destruction, combined with its policy and record of aggression and State terrorism, as the single greatest threat to regional and global peace and security. Israel cannot hide these facts behind smoke screens. It is time for the international community to show its resolve to maintain the credibility of multilateral disarmament instruments by taking action to compel Israel to comply. Next year will mark the sixtieth anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter. The next General Assembly will receive the report of the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. Now in the final stages of preparing its report, the Panel would be well-advised to go beyond the generally advertised perceptions of threats and challenges, and to address the more fundamental malady of our age — that is, violence and the glorification of military might. Obviously, the prescription that the Panel will provide will very much depend on its own perception of threats. In that context, the paradigm of Dialogue among Civilizations, presented by President Khatami of the Islamic Republic of Iran and warmly received by the international community, continues to provide the only vehicle to help promote mutual understanding and facilitate cooperation among States in the pursuit of peace, tolerance, freedom and prosperity. In 2005, coinciding with the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Charter, the implementation of the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations will be reviewed. Based on the international experience gained in the period from 2001 through 2005, such a review can help the international community to further advance that paradigm as a long-term process towards promoting 34 peace, democracy and development — the real principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. We condemn all acts of violence and terrorism in Iraq. We stress the need for promoting security and preserving the unity, territorial integrity and political independence of Iraq, promoting democracy through drafting a new constitution, holding free and fair elections as scheduled and accelerating the reconstruction of Iraq, as well as the speedy withdrawal of foreign forces from that country. We welcomed the formation and supported the operation of the Iraqi transitional government as a positive step towards the restoration of the Iraqi people’s sovereignty. We emphasize that the United Nations has a pivotal role to play and substantial responsibilities to discharge in the transitional period. We also welcome the position of the United Nations Secretary-General on the important role that the neighbouring countries to Iraq can play in the restoration of peace and stability in Iraq and in its reconstruction. In the Palestinian lands, the world is witnessing, with much regret and concern, the continued gross violation of human rights and the Israeli policy of occupation and repression against the oppressed Palestinian people. A durable peace in Palestine will only be possible if it is based on justice and guarantees an end to the occupation of the Palestinian lands, restoration of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, return of the people of the Palestinian diaspora to their homeland, participation of all in a democratic process and the establishment of a Palestinian State with Al- Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. We are of the view that the enlightened Palestinian people are capable of independently deciding their political and social affairs and we respect their free decisions on the future of Palestine. We welcome the valuable efforts by the Government of Afghanistan to consolidate peace, security and stability in the country. In addition, holding fair and free presidential and legislative elections and establishing a broad-based representative and multi-ethnic government, will be vital steps in the process of democratization and reconstruction in Afghanistan. Realization of the Millennium Development Goals is inseparable from viable international peace and security. Otherwise the political, social, economic and cultural problems of our world will continue to increase cumulatively, leaving us in a more desperate situation. In our view, the only option available to us is to foster closer international cooperation under internationally recognized rules and instruments in the light of dialogue, justice and democracy.