Amir Saeid Iravani made the remarks on Wednesday local time in a letter to Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres and President of the Security Council of the UN Sérgio França Danese.
In his letters, the ambassador has warned against any political approach taken by certain states towards the space programs of developing countries.
The Islamic Republic strongly rejects ungrounded claims made on October 9, 2023, by Britain, Germany and France about Iran’s space activities.
Below is the full text of the letter written by the Islamic Republic representative in response to the three countries’ claims:
In the Name of God, the most compassionate, the most merciful
Excellencies,
I am writing to you in response to the letter dated 9 October 2023 addressed to the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General from the representatives of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to the United Nations (S/2023/747), in which the authors of the letter above have once again desperately attempted to establish an unrelated and fabricated link between paragraph 3 of Annex B to Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and Iran's Qased Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) on 27 September 2023 which successfully launched the Noor-3 satellite into orbit.
The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects unsubstantiated allegations made against it in the letter and reiterates that Iran has not conducted any activity inconsistent with Resolution 2231 (2015) Iran regards such allegations as unfounded that are equally as unjustified as the arbitrary and misleading interpretations of Resolution 2231. Iran’s position regarding these repeated and unfounded claims has been elaborated in its numerous letters, including letters dated 26 May 2022 (S/2022/438), 24 October 2022, (S/2022/794), 28 November 2022, (S/2023/882), and 14 June 2023 (S/2023/439).
The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly stated that its missile and space programs fall outside of the purview or competence of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes.
The respective governments of the authors of the aforementioned letter must fully and genuinely comply with all of their respective legal obligations under that Resolution, including by refraining from any actions that undermine the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), particularly its Annex A, rather than engaging in such an unethical exercise while also stating politically motivated and repeated unfounded claims against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We caution against any politically driven approach used by certain developed countries with space programs that seek to demonize the use of space technology for peaceful purposes by developing countries under absurd pretexts, such as proliferation concerns. This hypocritical approach seriously jeopardizes the exercise of the inherent right of States to access space and celestial bodies as well as their freedom to explore and use outer space for peaceful purposes, including their free access to space science, technologies, and applications without discrimination of any kind.
We reiterate, once again, that Iran is determined to continue its activities related to ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles, both of which are within its inherent rights under international law and are necessary for the preservation of its security as well as socioeconomic interests.
Given the mandate outlined in the note by the Security Council President on the Council's tasks pursuant to Resolution 2231 (2015) (S/2016/44), the Secretary-General is expected to take his mandate and desist from reporting on such irrelevant activities in his subsequent report on the implementation of Resolution 2231 (2015). Instead, based on the aforesaid terms of reference, the Secretary-General is kindly urged to report the non-compliance of France, Germany and the United Kingdom with their obligations under the Resolution.
I would be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.
Please accept, Excellencies, the assurances of my highest consideration.
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