Iran Press/ America: Iravani made these remarks while addressing the UN General Assembly meeting on Palestine in New York on Monday.
"Despite numerous international demands and the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2728 calling for a ceasefire, Israel's persistent disregard for international norms, continuous bombing, and ongoing genocide against the people of Gaza have led to the dire situation in Gaza persisting and exacerbating the security and humanitarian conditions in the area," he added.
Here is the full text of Iravani's speech:
Statement by
H.E. Mr. Amir Saeid Iravani
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Before the General Assembly
8 April 2024
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting.
Despite all international demands and the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2728 calling for a ceasefire, the dire situation in Gaza continues, with the security and humanitarian conditions in the region worsening as the Israeli regime blatantly ignores these calls and persists in its relentless bombardments and genocidal aggression against innocent people in Gaza.
Each day, the world witnesses new catastrophic tragedies, reports of civilian suffering, deliberate attacks on humanitarian workers, and barbaric crimes committed by the Israeli regime. This assault is unprecedented in modern history in terms of the scale and speed of killing children, UN personnel, humanitarian workers, journalists, and even cross-border attacks on diplomatic premises.
The global community is united in calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. 153 states worldwide have voted in favor of a ceasefire, the Secretary-General and the United Nations have urged for a ceasefire, the International Court of Justice has issued orders, and a UNSC resolution has demanded it.
It is evident that the ongoing horrors must cease, and the most effective way to achieve this is through a meaningful ceasefire. Despite repeated appeals, Israel has failed to uphold its obligations. Israel has blatantly defied these resolutions and continues its atrocious and genocidal acts against the defenseless people of Gaza.
We have consistently warned about the escalation of military operations beyond Gaza, including into neighboring countries.
On 1 April 2024, the Israeli regime committed another heinous crime by targeting Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus. These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of seven Iranian military staff members at our embassy and several Syrian civilians.
This act by the Israeli regime represents a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. It is a grave affront to the fundamental principle of the international community, namely, the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises.
It is evident that Israel's ongoing destabilizing and irresponsible actions and atrocities against nations in our region pose a real threat to regional and international peace and security.
The impunity enjoyed by Israel undermines the legitimacy of international law. We regret the Security Council's failure to condemn these terrorist attacks.
Mr. President,
The savage and genocidal acts in Gaza, along with the frequent violations of international law, could not occur without the explicit consent and comprehensive political, financial, and military support, as well as partnership, from the United States.
Within the Security Council, the United States has been playing a hypocritical game of pressure and blackmail by frequently exercising its veto on various drafts, thereby preventing the adoption of resolutions calling for a ceasefire or an urgent halt to hostilities.
Moreover, the true intention of Washington in proposing the draft resolution (S/2024/239) - vetoed by the Russian Federation on 22 March - was not to craft a compromise text but to provide a free hand for the Israeli leadership to take any action, including the most inhumane steps towards further ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
In reality, by imposing preconditions for a ceasefire and including unacceptable political elements, the draft resolution put forth by the United States was designed to give Israel the green light to conduct a military operation in Rafah; hypocritically, it was presented under the guise of a ceasefire.
By playing a destructive role, the United States has exhausted all political and diplomatic means to obstruct peace and deliberately undermined multilateral efforts under the UN's auspices for the sake of its selfish geopolitical interests in the Middle East region.
It is regrettable that even after the adoption of Resolution 2728, US officials chose to dismiss it as non-binding and defended the actions of the regime.
This underscores the necessity for a UNSC resolution under Chapter VII so that if it is not implemented, this regime will face international consequences.
Given the current circumstances and the regime's failure to heed the international community's calls, the Security Council and the entire global community must take concrete steps to ensure that the Israeli war machine does not enjoy impunity to continue its assault on Palestinian civilians.
Mr. President,
We firmly believe that without a sustainable ceasefire, the tragedy will only worsen, resulting in the loss of innocent lives, including children and women.
Furthermore, Israel must be held accountable for all its international transgressions, which have inflamed the entire region.
In the past six months, the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza has led to the tragic loss of over 34,000 Palestinian lives.
These are not just numbers; they represent lives, dreams, and hopes that have been shattered.
Those responsible must be held to account. The fate of the Palestinians and peace in the region should not be solely determined by Israel but by our collective efforts.
I thank you.
214
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