In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

No. 1660743

Excellency,

            I would like to inform you that today is the forty-first anniversary of the abduction of three members of the staff of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beirut, namely Seyyed Mohsen Mousavi (Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy), Ahmad Motevaselian (Military Attaché of the Embassy), and Taghi Rastegar Moghadam (a technician from the Embassy), as well as an Iranian journalist, Kazem Akhavan (from the Islamic Republic News Agency), by the Israeli regime’s affiliated forces on 5 July 1982, during the regime's invasion of Lebanon and occupation of Beirut. Our letter dated 9 July 2008 contains details on the circumstances behind this criminal act, including the perpetrators who were involved (A/62/899-S/2008/448).

            This abduction and the Israeli regime’s continued deliberate failure to comply with its obligations under international law to provide information about the fate of those Iranian missing citizens are undoubtedly violations of the basic principles of international law including the Charter of the United Nations, the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations 1961 and 1963, and the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. In addition, this criminal act, which has caused enormous pain and anguish to the abductees’ families who have long been suffering in anguish and disillusionment, is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.

            In order to alleviate the suffering of victims’ families and to determine the fate of those victims, and in light of the United Nations' expressed willingness, as indicated in the Secretary-General report dated 18 November 2008 (S/2008/715), to play a more active role in addressing this issue, I would like to reiterate my Government’s request, as stated in the letter dated 13 February 2009 (S/2009/91), for the establishment of a special commission under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to investigate the case of the abducted Iranian diplomats and to determine their fate.

I would be grateful if the present letter could be circulated as a document of the Security Council and the General Assembly under agenda items 32, 68, and 82.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres

Secretary-General

United Nations, New York

H.E. Ms. Barbara Woodward

President of the Security Council

United Nations, New York