Iran urges immediate end to Israel's aggression against Gaza

Ershadi said Friday at the meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations that all perpetrators of crimes against Palestinians, including those who help the Israeli regime to commit brutal crimes in Palestine, especially in Gaza, must be held accountable.

This senior diplomat of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who was speaking at the UN General Assembly meeting entitled "Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance", added that all the principles and goals of the United Nations Charter, especially respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries must be strictly respected by all countries, as well as by humanitarian aid organizations, when providing humanitarian aid in other territories.

She added that as countries have the primary role and responsibility in responding to their own humanitarian emergencies, national ownership and leadership in the coordination of humanitarian assistance must be affirmed to ensure its effective delivery.

The full text of Zahra Ershadi's speech is as follows:

Statement by H.E. Ms. Zahra Ershadi

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations

On: “Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance [items 72 (a) to (d)]”

General Assembly

New York, 8 December 2023

Mr. President,

At the outset, allow me to express my delegation’s gratitude to the coordinators and facilitators of the resolutions under consideration of this agenda item for their hard work towards the achievement of consensus among Member States. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Secretary-General for his reports. I align myself with the statement delivered by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter and deliver the following in my national capacity.

Mr. President,

In our view, all of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, notably the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, should be strictly observed by all countries, as well as humanitarian aid organizations, when providing humanitarian assistance in other territories. Since States have the primary role and responsibility in response to their humanitarian emergencies, national ownership and leadership in the coordination of humanitarian assistance to ensure its effective delivery must be acknowledged. In the same vein, any humanitarian crises or emergencies, especially those that have been advertently created under a specific and hidden political agenda, must not lead to any foreign intervention, including under the pretext of the responsibility to protect.   

 Mr. President,

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes the importance of humanitarian assistance activities, including the United Nations humanitarian response system, by upholding its purely humanitarian nature.

We strongly believe those who serve as the main contributors in protracted wars and occupations by their involvement or through the provision of sophisticated weapons should shoulder more of the burden in financing UN humanitarian responses. This also includes those that have historical responsibility in greenhouse gas emissions that lead to rapid climate change and exacerbate disasters.

We also strongly condemn situations wherein the humanitarian needs of populations in dire deprivation are taken hostage as a political means or military tool, including by imposing blockages to starve civilians to death. Furthermore, the United Nations must assure that all humanitarian aid should be distributed among all populations in need indiscriminately and without any interference by donors.

Mr. President,     

The Islamic Republic of Iran considers unilateral coercive measures as one of the main obstacles that hinder international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, while also serving as one of the main sources of creating humanitarian crises around the world. While our region is prone to a variety of disasters, including earthquakes, droughts, dust and sandstorms, as well as floods that stretch our resources to the absolute brink, the Islamic Republic of Iran has tremendously suffered from the additional weight that unlawful and illegal unilateral sanctions bear.

Mr. President,

There are many humanitarian crises around the world that require our swift attention. Regarding the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, as has been our appeal during this time every year in this body and under the consideration of this Agenda item and as the winter approaches and the situation of the Afghan people, especially women, girls and children, continue to deteriorate, the timely provision of humanitarian assistance should in no way be politicized, conditional or ignored due to other emerging humanitarian crises around the world. In addition, every effort should be made to ensure that the countries hosting Afghan refugees and citizens, especially its neighbors, have unhindered access to humanitarian goods and other commodities. Afghanistan has experienced some devastating earthquakes in recent months. Their humanitarian needs are far beyond what the Islamic Republic of Iran has provided them thus far. The international community must address this emergency.

Mr. President,

The international community continues to face one of the exceptional challenges and largest tests in its history of humanitarian emergencies as it strives to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Gaza Strip is under the worst besiege since 2007 and the humanitarian situation is getting worse daily while the death toll is rising due to the daily atrocity crimes committed by the Israeli regime against the innocent Palestinian people. Hospitals, mosques, churches, schools and other purely civilian infrastructures have not been immune, with many hundreds of people being brutally slaughtered inside these places. 70% of victims are children and women. Many people have been displaced. More than 80 journalists have been killed. Almost 131 UNRWA staff are no longer among us. UNRWA premises are under deliberate attacks and people who have sought refuge inside these premises are bombarded. Unhindered access is still the main challenge to providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.

Mr. President,

What is very sad, disappointing, and unacceptable is the inaction by the international community, including the UN and, especially, the Security Council, in facing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The humanitarian pauses are not the solution for the deteriorating situation in Gaza. In such a dire situation, sympathy is no longer enough.

Unfortunately, rather than denouncing the brutalism of the Israeli regime in Gaza, those Countries, which are staunch proponents of humanitarian intervention in other countries, while having a horrific record of military interventions in countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya, among others, instead embolden the regime by expressing their support for it in both words and in supplying sophisticated weapons.

Mr. President,

We strongly believe that addressing the root causes of humanitarian crises and emergencies, as well as greater investment in prevention, are the only sustainable solutions for this global phenomenon. In the Middle East, which attracts a significant amount of humanitarian assistance due to the conflicts emanating from military interventions and protracted occupations, especially in Palestine, the root causes of humanitarian crises must be addressed urgently. In this regard, it is incumbent on the Security Council to live up to its inherent responsibilities as a fundamental step to end the humanitarian crisis in our region especially in ending the atrocity crimes being committed by the Israeli regime in Gaza.  

In conclusion, Mr. President, the Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its consistent call for the immediate halt of aggression against Gaza, the cease of all military supports to the aggressor and occupying regime and the implementation of a sustainable and durable cessation of hostilities. All perpetrators of crimes against Palestinians, including those who aid and abet the Israeli regime to commit atrocity crimes in Palestine, especially in Gaza, must be held accountable.

Thank you.