Reply of the Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

to the statement by Israeli regime

Before the United Nations Security Council

New York, 20 October 2022

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

Thank you, Madam President,

My delegation had no intention of making any further statements on this agenda item considering the length of the meeting, which had already lasted the entire day, but, because the Israeli regime's representative, in her statement, once again misused this chamber, deviated from the main subject in the Council and leveled baseless claims against my country, I feel compelled to respond to such unfounded allegations.

For two reasons, it comes as no real surprise to us. First, the Israeli regime has always had an agenda that includes deception and the use of lies. Its villainous purpose is clear: to conceal the Zionist regime's expansionist, disruptive, and terrorist policies in the region and deflect attention from the horrifying atrocities that are still being carried out in Occupied Palestine, particularly against Palestinian women and girls.

Second, in response to international crimes, including crimes against humanity, war crimes, and acts of aggression, committed by this regime against the people of Palestine and other regional nations, the Security Council has failed to uphold its charter mandate. This is due to a permanent member of the Security Council giving this regime a cart de Blanche. Therefore, the Security Council's inaction and silence will encourage this regime to commit more heinous crimes.

It is not surprising, therefore, that this apartheid regime attends such an important meeting and speaks about women's and girls' rights while Palestinian women and girls continue to suffer as a result of the decades-long occupation and the Israeli regime's colonial and Apartheid policies and practices in Occupied Palestine.

The representative of the Israeli regime should have spoken about the countless numbers of Palestinian women and girls who have been victims of her regime's atrocities in Gaza and other parts of occupied Palestine.

We urge the Security Council to take responsibility and show its concern through action rather than words by coercing this apartheid regime to stop its heinous crimes and brutalities against Palestinians, in particular Palestinian women and girls.

I thank you, Madam President.