First Committee of the 78th United Nations General Assembly

Right of Reply

Submitted by

The I.R. of Iran against the EU and others

3 October 2023 

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

Mr. Chair,

I would like to exercise my delegation's right of reply in response to the statements made by the EU and some other delegations regarding my country. We firmly reject the inaccurate statements made against us.

First and foremost, we categorically reject the attempt by these delegations to establish a link between the alleged use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the Ukrainian conflict and Security Council resolution 2231. These allegations lack any foundation and have been consistently refuted by Iran. In our communications to the Security Council and the Secretary-General, including our letter dated 17 August 2023 contained in document (S/2023/610), we have reiterated the baselessness of these desperate attempts, and rejected the baseless accusations of Iran’s involvement in this conflict. The purported evidence is entirely fabricated and lacks any legal validity. Instead of making unprofessional, provocative, and irresponsible baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), the respective delegations should fully and genuinely comply with all of their respective legal obligations under that resolution, including refraining from any actions that undermine its implementation, particularly its annex A.

Regarding Iran's peaceful program, it's important to note that the IAEA conducts robust and continuous verification and monitoring activities in Iran's nuclear facilities. We expect that such continuous and deep cooperation with the IAEA by the Islamic Republic of Iran in good faith is duly recognized. It should also be emphasized that Iran is entitled to utilize its rights as outlined in our Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) with the IAEA concerning the admission of inspectors and other related issues. We maintain a constructive relationship with the IAEA and its secretariat, aiming to resolve any outstanding issues.

However, it is crucial to underscore that when addressing Iran's peaceful nuclear program, the facts should not be distorted or presented selectively. Of particular importance is the illegal withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA in 2018, which the mentioned delegations seem to overlook. As we have consistently pointed out, there must be a clear distinction between the legal obligations of Member States under their respective safeguards agreements and their voluntary commitments. The verification and monitoring activities related to the JCPOA are voluntary and are not linked to the CSA. Therefore, it is entirely baseless and unacceptable to repeatedly attempt to connect them to alleged issues.

Another important fact is that all of Iran's nuclear materials and activities have been fully declared and verified by the IAEA. The Islamic Republic of Iran, with the highest number of safeguards inspections of its peaceful nuclear program, has a commendable record of cooperation with the IAEA.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that Iran's missile program is a domestically developed and defensive capability that fully aligns with our international commitments.

Thank you.