Explanation of Position of the Islamic Republic of Iran
on the Ministerial Declaration of the High-Level Segment of the 2022 session
of the Economic and Social Council and
the high-level political forum on sustainable development
New York, 15 July 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Mr. President,
The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to extend its appreciation to the President and Secretariat of the ECOSOC for the preparation of this year's High-Level Political Forum. We also express our gratitude to the Permanent Representatives of Italy and Nauru, as well as their respective teams, for their efforts in facilitating the consultation process. My delegation associates itself with the EoP delivered by Pakistan on behalf of the G77 and China on the 2022 HLPF Ministerial Declaration and would like to add the following points in its national capacity:
The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran has constructively engaged in the negotiation on the 2022 HLPF Ministerial Declaration in an effort to reach a balanced and acceptable outcome document.
Although my delegation has joined the consensus on the aforementioned document, it still believes that there are a number of concepts that unfortunately do not enjoy consensus. At the same time, there are a number of important concepts that have not been reflected in the document as well.
My delegation is of the view that the implementation of the 2022 HLPF Ministerial Declaration hinges on different national realities, capacities, levels of development as well as national policies and priorities. The Islamic Republic of Iran, like any other state and under its sovereign right, governs sustainable development policies within its jurisdiction while taking into account its laws, regulations, legislation, national plans and programs as well as its own economic and social circumstances.
Based on this approach, I would like to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers the 2022 HLPF Ministerial Declaration as a non-legally-binding, voluntary-based instrument simply presenting a number of non-obligatory guidelines, suggestions and recommendations to enhance sustainable development without imposing, in any way, new legal obligations.
My delegation also officially announces that the Islamic Republic of Iran is not committed - at all - to those parts and elements of the 2022 HLPF Ministerial Declaration, which, in one way or another, are in contradiction with the national priorities, laws, regulations, legislation and policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including Islamic principles, cultural and religious norms, traditions and values of Iranian society. Moreover, in all relevant domestic issues, national plans, programs and strategies shall enjoy total priority and would be considered as the sole and final source of not only action but also reference for my Country.
The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms its strongest rejection of the imposition of laws and regulations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of unilateral coercive measures, including unilateral sanctions, against developing countries. Furthermore, it firmly calls for the urgent need to eliminate such measures immediately. In this regard, we are deeply disappointed that the proposal made by the G77 and China for the inclusion of the consensus language taken verbatim from paragraph 30 of the Sustainable Development Agenda on unilateral coercive measures was not included in the text due to a biased and double-standard approach. My delegation would like to emphasize that any document addressing the different aspects of development should strongly condemn and urge for the elimination of all forms of unilateral coercive measures and unilateral sanctions against developing countries. Such a stance should be taken with respect to the negative impacts of these illegal actions affecting the capacity and ability of targeted countries in their endeavor to reach sustainable development.
My delegation also disassociates itself from paragraph 39 in which the phrase “multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination” is used as we do not consider it a consensual language.
My delegation would like to reiterate that regarding paragraphs 38 to 50 under Goal 5, as well as para 101 regarding the transition towards low-emission energy systems and the issues on fossil fuel subsidies, the Islamic Republic of Iran acts solely on the basis of its own national laws, legislation and policies.
Mr. President,
The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to request this statement be put in the official records and relevant reports of this meeting.