Statement by the Representative of
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 69: “Racism” & 70: “Self-determination”
General Discussion
New York, 27 October 2023
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
69: “Racism”
Mr. Chair,
Iran has long been the land for residence and growth of different ethnic groups with cultural diversity. For historical reasons, none of those ethnic groups live in an isolated community, despite visible diversity and multiplicity.
The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that promoting and expanding areas of dialogue among different cultures and civilizations in the international sphere should be the primary basis for the fundamental struggle against the various manifestations of racism and racial discrimination, which would also entail respect for cultural diversity. In this regard, Iran actively participated in the 2001 World Conference Against Racism and the following Durban Review Conferences.
In this regard, Iran expresses concern over the lack of political will and resources, at national, regional, and international levels, to effectively implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action two decades after its adoption.
As part of its commitment to combat racism and racial discrimination, the Islamic Republic of Iran has submitted its combined 20th to 27th periodic reports on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in March 2022.
The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches its highest importance to the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards and implementation of its mandate in the context of relevant decisions and resolutions of the Human Rights Council and the United Nations General Assembly.
Mr. Chair,
Unfortunately, severe forms of discrimination across the globe persist. In recent decades, the United States has imposed unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) and an unrelenting economic embargo that is considered as one of the most inhumane examples of discrimination based on nationality or place of origin in the world. As a result, the rights of the Iranian people, including their rights to life, health, development, and other fundamental rights, have been widely and systematically violated by the imposition of UCMs. In this malicious path, the EU has also made a big deal with the United States.
The US atrocities are not limited to any era of time. It is steadfast in violating human rights. Such a reality is evident in a starkly racist U.S. prison system (Guantánamo) that subjects the largest national population of prisoners in the world to the routine brutality of solitary confinement and capital punishment. Guantánamo is a facility where the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism since its recent visit expressed serious concerns about the systematic arbitrariness that pervades the day-to-day life of prisoners, bringing severe insecurity, suffering, and anxiety to all, without exception.
In addition, the situation of Africans and people of African descent who have faced enslavement, colonization, segregation, and degradation historically is worsening. Deprivation and hardship continue to plague people of African descent as a result of post-colonial structures, systems, policies, and practices.
In the report A/HRC/54/66, the High Commissioner places a spotlight on the right of people of African descent to participate in public affairs, recognizing that the implementation of that right is key to ensuring that decision-making is informed by their lived experiences and expertise and is a prerequisite for transformative change for racial justice and equality.
We join our voice with those delegations that ask for reparations for the historical injustices of the enslavement of Africans and colonialism.
In addition, Mr. Chair,
We believe we must be vocal against hate speech. Muslims in European countries suffer from discrimination, stigmatization and exclusion in all areas of life, including employment, education, and political participation, in addition to being subjected to racist violence and speech, especially on online platforms and within the territories of the Western countries.
Islamophobia is a specific form of racism that must be tackled. It is fueled by governments supporting those who violate Muslims` rights under the guise of freedom of expression and opinion. Muslim women are disproportionately affected by Islamophobia due to multiple grounds of discrimination, especially if they wear the Islamic dress code.
Lately, Muslims worldwide have condemned the burnings of their Holy Book, the Quran. A resolution condemning such hateful acts has since been adopted in Geneva. Another resolution in GA, also strongly deplored all acts of violence against persons on the basis of their religion or belief, as well as any such acts directed against their religious symbols and holy books.
To sum up, Mr. Chair, The Islamic Republic of Iran calls on the international community to take concrete actions to prevent, combat and eradicate racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, hate speech and related intolerance.
I thank you.
Item 70: “Self-determination”
Mr. Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its principled and longstanding support for the realization of the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination. Given the destructive consequences of the continued occupation of the territory of Palestine by the Zionist regime, Palestinian living conditions have deteriorated on a daily basis. As stated in the report A/78/86 of the Secretary-general on Assistance to the Palestinian People/ the SG report: “continued Israeli settlement expansion, demolitions, evictions, closures, access and movement restrictions, and other aspects of the protracted military occupation severely affected the humanitarian, social, economic and political life of Palestinians, as well as their security and ability to exercise their fundamental human rights”.
The Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights have consistently raised concerns over the apparent excessive use of force and unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions of Palestinians by Israeli forces. The Human Rights Committee has been concerned about the increased and intensified practice by the Israeli regime of the demolition of Palestinian houses and other infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, water, sanitation, and hygiene structures, and the forced evictions and forcible transfer of those whose homes had been destroyed.
Iran denounces Israel's settler-colonial agenda aimed at ethnically cleansing the Palestinian land of its indigenous inhabitants.
Today, the international community is witnessing yet another horrific uptick in atrocities and collective punishment against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli regime, particularly the heinous terrorist attacks on Al Ahli Arab Hospital. The deliberate targeting of a hospital, in clear violation of international humanitarian law, is nothing short of a war crime. Equally, the indiscriminate killing of innocent People in Gaza, including women and children during the escalation of the war, which devastated critical and civilian infrastructure amounts to war crimes of the gravest nature.
Their severe and continuous attacks on hospitals, shelters, mosques, schools, and so on have left nowhere safe in Gaza for anyone. In summary, all human rights of Palestinians have been violated, from the right to life to the right to culture. All in all.
No one is safe from such brutal attacks, not even women, girls, youth, children, older persons, those with disabilities, journalists, healthcare workers, and UN, and other international humanitarian personnel.
The UN is duty-bound to prevent this genocide.
There must be an immediate ceasefire and a cessation of all attacks that target or indiscriminately affect Palestinian infrastructures.
There should be an investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other grave abuses committed by the Israeli apartheid regime and its allies.
Unsurprisingly, the apartheid regime is not alone in committing such atrocities and bloodshed. It maintains a strong bond of unity with its strategic partners and Western allies.
In 2022 alone, the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies have adopted 15 resolutions concerning the gross human rights violations committed by the occupying regime.
Since 1972, the United States has vetoed 53 resolutions to support Israel and prevent it from being condemned for its recurring war crimes. This number is half of all vetoes the US has made on other issues: A strategic partner in disrupting the equitable international order and violating the right to self-determination of the defenseless Palestinian people.
Mr. Chair,
Concrete steps to address the root causes of violations and abuses and the ongoing Israeli military aggression, including reaffirming the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and return should be taken, and calling for an end to, and accountability for, Israeli atrocities and practices of apartheid and settler colonialism is needed.
I thank you.