Explanation of vote of the Islamic Republic of Iran

On Draft Resolution on “Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate

when a veto is cast in the Security Council”

At the United Nations General Assembly

New York, 26 April 2022

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

Mr. President,

My delegation joined the consensus for the adoption of the resolution entitled “Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council”. However, we would like to state the following:

As a founding member of the United Nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been a staunch supporter of the United Nations’ strengthening role as the cornerstone of multilateralism in maintaining international peace and security. Iran has also called on the Security Council to act in a more efficient, transparent, effective, and accountable manner.

In this context, ending the Security Council's wrong and unlawful practices, as well as its application of double standards, which is harmful to the international peace and security and incompatible with the UN's Purposes and Principles, should remain at the forefront of any efforts to strengthen the UN system.

According to Article 24(2) of the Charter, the Security Council, in carrying out its responsibilities, shall act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.  This means that the Council’s powers and authority are limited, it is not above the law, and it cannot act arbitrarily or without regard for international law.

Furthermore, through Article 24(1), the Security Council has been given “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security” by the Member States. This means that the Council has a legal, political and moral responsibility to act properly and responsibly and members of the Council must make decisions based on the common interests of the Organization's entire membership rather than on their own national interests or those of the geopolitical or geographical groups which they belong.  

The Council is responsible to the Member States on behalf of whom it acts and must therefore maintain accountable to them. This indeed is the raison d’être of the Charter’s Article 24(3) which requires the Council to submit annual or special reports to the General Assembly, where all Member States are represented.

The UN bodies should refrain from interfering in each other's competencies and responsibilities. The United Nations Charter serves as a yardstick in this regard.

All UN organs, including the Security Council, must adhere to the principles of impartiality, effectiveness, and professionalism and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of states and in pursuance of certain political interests, acting against their independence.

The veto is foreseen in the Charter, however, due to its undemocratic nature and the fact that it has been used arbitrarily since the UN’s inception, its usage must be regulated.

The use of veto must be consistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter as well as other principles of international law enshrined in the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States particularly sovereign equality of states, non-use of force and non-intervention in the internal and international affairs of states.

As stated in preamble paragraph 8, the present resolution and its provisions are without prejudice to the intergovernmental negotiations on the Security Council reform. In this regard, we reiterate our commitment to the Security Council’s reform within the existing formats and emphasize that transforming the Council into a truly rule-based and accountable body must remain a top priority.

I Thank you, Mr. President.