Statement by

Ms. Fatemeh Arab Bafrani

Second Secretary

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

Before the Third Committee of the 78th Session of the General Assembly ‎

On Agenda Items ‎

‎107: Crime prevention and criminal justice

‎108: Countering the use of information and communications technologies for ‎criminal purposes

General Discussion

New York, 2 October 2023‎

‎…………………………………………………………………‎

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Thank you, Mr. Chair,‎

My delegation takes note of the reports presented to the Committee under ‎agenda items 107 and 108. Iran also attaches great importance to the work of UNODC in providing support to the Member States in their efforts toward preventing and combating crimes, corruption ‎and trafficking.‎

The increasing complexity and transnationality of crimes necessitates international ‎cooperation to combat them. As part of this effort, we should not overlook the ‎tremendous challenges and impediments facing Member States, especially ‎developing countries. Effective asset recovery constitutes an integral part of a ‎collective response to transnational crimes. In order to achieve the underlying ‎purposes of the relevant conventions, barriers and impediments to asset recovery ‎measures should be removed. ‎

Working together and coordinating our efforts is crucial to combating transnational ‎organized crime and ensuring that criminal networks do not simply relocate to ‎regions with weak cooperation, leading to weakened criminal justice responses. In ‎this context, Iran has concluded numerous mutual legal assistance and extradition ‎agreements with its neighbors and other countries beyond the region. By using ‎these instruments, law enforcement and judicial authorities have been able to ‎strengthen cooperation, share timely information, and coordinate criminal and civil ‎proceedings. Besides these domestic efforts, Iran has maintained its leading role in fighting ‎transnational organized crimes in West Asia, in particular drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, and ‎migrants smuggling. We continue to cooperate regionally and ‎internationally in this regard.‎

Mr. Chair,‎

Peoples have benefited enormously from ICT, but criminals have increasingly ‎abused such technologies to further their illicit goals. Crimes committed and facilitated by the ‎abuse of ICT extend beyond geographical boundaries‏.‏‎ I would like to reiterate that ‎a shared future in cyberspace and equal access of all states to ICT and providing a ‎favorable environment for developing countries to utilize these technologies for ‎development, as well as enhancing international cooperation in these areas, ‎constitute fundamental elements in fighting the use of ICT for criminal purposes. ‎

In this regard, we reaffirm our continued support for the work of the Ad Hoc ‎Committee to elaborate a comprehensive international convention on countering ‎the use of ICTs for criminal purposes. The upcoming negotiations must be guided ‎by a comprehensive, well-balanced negotiating document that fully considers the ‎concerns and interests of developing countries.‎

As for corruption, Mr. Chair, we are committed and determined to fight effectively ‎and responsibly in this regard. Last year (2022), we adopted a highly critical policy ‎paper on the evolution of the judicial ‎system with the aim of promoting and ‎expanding access to justice, preventing crimes and fighting corruption. This ‎document is drafted ‎based on determining the root causes and critical challenges to ‎access to justice in the judiciary ‎system. In addition, our ‎President has also announced 12 principles within a national plan to prevent and ‎combat administrative and economic corruption based on e-government, ‎transparency, meritocracy, effective and efficient supervision, and monitoring, ‎among others.‎

As a result, the Islamic Republic of Iran has made considerable progress in ‎implementing the Electronic Government and moving towards open data as a ‎precondition for preventing corruption. ‎

Mr. Chair,‎

Moreover, I wish to express our deep concern regarding the promulgation and ‎application of Unilateral Coercive Measures (UCMs), which violate international ‎law principles as well as the United Nations Charter and continue to hinder ‎effective responses to crimes and corruption on a national and global scale. These unlawful acts must be terminated, and reparations ‎should be provided for the harms inflicted upon affected people. UCMs and the ‎non-compliance of certain states to effectively cooperate on the recovery of illegally ‎acquired assets indicate the double standard, dubious and dishonest approaches ‎towards cooperation.

To conclude, the Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its steadfast dedication to ‎fighting crimes and corruption and ensuring criminal justice. We remain ‎unwavering in our commitment to pursuing these goals despite the obstacles ‎imposed by UCMs. To make the world a more just and secure place, we strongly ‎encourage international cooperation, especially with respect to terminating UCMs ‎as part of this endeavor.

I thank you.‎