Statement by

Mr. Mohammad Ghorbanpour

First Secretary

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

Before the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization

Identification of new subjects

(Proposal submitted by the I.R. of Iran to the Charter Committee in 2020 concerning “Obligations of Member States in relation to unilateral coercive measures: guidelines on ways and means to prevent, remove, minimize and redress the adverse impacts of unilateral coercive measures”)

New York, 25 February 2022

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

Mr. Chairman,

The extraordinary consequences of the imposition of unilateral coercive measures (UCM) against my Country and ordinary Iranian citizens have compelled my delegation to submit a proposal in 2020 concerning the “Obligations of Member States in relation to unilateral coercive measures: guidelines on ways and means to prevent, remove, minimize and redress the adverse impacts of unilateral coercive measures”. Sanctions, according to the Secretary-General, disproportionately harm the most vulnerable and often the most innocent parts of society.

All sanctions, unilateral or multilateral, have terrible consequences for civilian populations that disproportionately affect children, women, the elderly, the sick and the poor.

Sanctions have grave humanitarian consequences.  In a pandemic crisis like COVID-19, sanctions have far-reaching repercussions, placing the health and lives of civilian populations in targeted countries in further peril as a result of such dire conditions.

 The unintended effects of such measures as a result of sanctions can not only present difficulties for humanitarian actors but also stymie the delivery of life-saving humanitarian supplies where it is most needed, wreaking havoc on the populations of the countries involved.

Mr. Chairman,

We believe that nothing in the UN Charter can be interpreted as an authorization for unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to the general principles of international law, breach the prohibition on interfering in the internal affairs of other states and violate their sovereignty.

Certain Member States that continually claim to honor the rule of law deliberately disregard their international obligations and violate the UN Charter and international law with impunity.

Iran has been subjected to economic and financial sanctions imposed by the US Government for decades that have been maintained to this very day.

Despite the fact that the US’ measures appear to be economic and financial in nature, they have undoubtedly had a severely negative impact on millions of Iranian citizens, with living and working conditions experiencing serious deterioration.

The illegality of such inhuman behavior is clearly stated by the UN Special Rapporteur who states that, "While the right of States to disagree should be respected, harming the human rights of ordinary civilians should not be used as a means of political pressure on a targeted Government. This is an infringement on international human rights law.”

Mr. Chairman,

For two consecutive years, due to conditions beyond our control, my Government was in contribution arrears to the United Nations for some months. Therefore, my delegation did not have a vote in the General Assembly under the terms of Article 19 of the UN Charter during that period.

Unlawful unilateral economic restrictions by the US Government against my Country have prevented my Government from mobilizing the necessary resources as well as the international transfer of available funds, which have been blocked in foreign banks due to unlawful sanctions, in order to pay its contribution to the UN budgetary system. These measures by the UN Host Country have created serious obstacles and limitations in my Country’s ability to fully exercise its rights and privileges, including its right to vote in the General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

As we have indicated last year, our proposal is a legal reaction to politicized coercive measures. It is an effort to strengthen the legal framework to counter those illegal actions and hold accountable those which invoke them as well as crystalizing the responsibilities of third states when facing these illegal coercive measures. We also believe that this important issue deserves to be addressed by the International Law Commission.

As such, my delegation invites all Member States to carefully review this proposal and engage in a substantive discussion.

I thank you.