Ershadi was addressing the UN General Assembly meeting on Wednesday that discussed a new set of sanctions pushed by the US against North Korea over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program.
The US proposed the measures at a UN Security Council meeting on May 27, which were vetoed by China and Russia.
Here is the full text of the Iranian ambassador’s statement read at the General Assembly meeting in New York.
Mr. President,
As one of the original signatories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been and continues to be a staunch supporter of the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
In 1974, Iran proposed the idea of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and since then, has worked hard to realize this noble initiative. Furthermore, as the major victim of the most systematic use of chemical weapons in the contemporary history, Iran has demonstrated its full commitment to the total elimination of all weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons.
Mr. President,
The Security Council has not taken a balanced approach to the North Korea's nuclear issue as it has solely focused on the concerns of Western countries. The Council has imposed the toughest and most comprehensive sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea without duly considering the detrimental implications of its decisions on political, humanitarian, and international security issues.
The imposition of sanctions against the DPRK has not only failed to serve international peace and security, but has also exacerbated and complicated the security arrangements in the Korean Peninsula.
Moreover, such measures have stymied the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies where it is needed most, wreaking havoc on vulnerable populations.
It is deeply regrettable that the authority and powers of the Security Council have been abused repeatedly by certain States who, in pursuance of their illegitimate and political objectives, particularly against developing countries, regard sanctions as their preferred tool to exert maximum pressure on targeted countries.
As a country that has been negatively affected by illegal unilateral coercive measures, the Islamic Republic of Iran is well aware of the devastating humanitarian consequences of such sanctions on ordinary people. Specifically, we would like to highlight the destructive impacts of sanctions on the effective and timely procurement of medical equipment and supplies particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the sanctions have detrimental effects on, among other things, basic human rights including the rights to life, health, and food.
We believe that imposition of new sanctions on the DPRK by the Security Council will not help resolve the current situation in the Korean Peninsula. To the contrary, it will have harmful implications on the people and escalate tensions in the region. We emphasize on the resolution of the issues through dialogue and to that end, we stand ready to engage in any initiative that could fairly lead to a peaceful resolution of the ongoing situation in the Korean Peninsula.
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