Statement by

H.E. Ms. Zahra Ershadi

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative

of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

before the First Meeting of Informal Interactive Dialogue on Syria

Based on the UNSC Resolution 2642 (2022)

New York, 26 September 2022

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

Mr. President,

I thank France for convening this meeting. I also thank Mr. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, for his insightful briefing.

The adoption of Resolution 2642 (2022) was a significant step toward addressing Syria's critical needs.

The resolution, which focuses on humanitarian assistance, specifically calls for early recovery projects and emphasizes the critical importance of expanding cross-line delivery throughout Syria, along with cross-border operations.

The resolution calls for an Informal Interactive Dialogue in order to review and monitor the resolution's effective implementation on a regular basis, particularly the commitments to early recovery projects.

We trust that IID will be able to serve as an appropriate mechanism for the Council to monitor how the resolution is being implemented fairly and effectively.

Mr. President,

Given the severity of the situation in Syria and the ongoing economic difficulties that have affected people across the country, we call for the implementation of the resolution in a balanced and efficient manner, including early recovery projects such as water systems, and electricity which are critical to restoring access to basic services.

We urge all parties to carefully adhere to the basic principles governing humanitarian assistance, as well as to ensure neutrality and transparency. Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be also fully respected.

We reiterate our call for the lifting of unilateral sanctions against Syria because they are preventing the resolution's implementation, making it more difficult to deliver humanitarian aid, and even delaying the return of refugees and internally displaced people.

We are hoped that political circumstances will not prevent or impair the efficient implementation of the resolution.

And finally, while we commend and support the UN's and the donors' efforts to aid Syria, we expected the Secretariat to provide, in line with paragraph 5 of the resolution, detailed and clear information on early recovery projects in terms of their number, nature, and geographic distribution.

I thank you.