Explanation of Vote of the Islamic Republic of Iran

At the Seventh Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of

the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA)

On the Final Outcome Document

New York, 30 July 2021

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

The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to the PoA and the ITI while supporting their effective, complete, and indiscriminate implementation. We believe that the said goal could not be achieved until and unless the needed strong political will, as well as the means of implantation, could be secured. No need to say that honoring the commitments to strengthening international cooperation as envisaged in the PoA and consequently reconfirmed in the subsequent processes could be proof of that political will.

However, it is regrettable that the past trend, as well as the current BMS, have been witnessed the other way around.

It is further regrettable that the final version of the outcome document contains provisions including the establishment of an open-ended expert group that one could hardly believe is consistent with the mandate and powers of the BMS as envisaged in the PoA. In fact, according to the PoA it is only the review conference that has the power to take such a decision.  

With a constructive approach and in line with all its contributions, my delegation suggested a language that could make a balance in the related paragraph. Yet, it was not taken on board. We had some other main concerns including the addition of ammunition in the outcome document, a synergy of the PoA with other non-globally accepted instruments, proliferated references to the SDGs’ indicators, over-emphasized gender issues, and alike, that are not reflected in the document. Nevertheless, from the beginning, we made it clear that even if we would not object to them, but we would neither accept the suggested annex to the ITI nor its related elements.

Actually, the past trend shows that these kinds of attempts have been increasingly divisive the result of which are shown in leaving the long-lasting value of consensus. 

All in all, the voted document speaks for itself and it will not have the influence of a consensual document.  This should be seriously considered with a satisfactory result for all.  We are warning that the more non-consensual issues are raised, the more possibility of voting will raise at the cost of a weak PoA.

Last not least, given the voluntary and non-binding nature of the outcome documents of the BMS processes, my delegation would like to put on the record that Iran would agree only with those non-contentious provisions of the outcome document that are consistent and compatible with its domestic policies, laws, regulations, priorities, and values as well as with the PoA.