Iran’s missile, space programs in compliance with int’l law: Envoy

Iravani made the remark in a Monday letter to Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and the rotating president of the Security Council.

His letter came in response to an earlier letter by the Israeli envoy to the world body, claiming that Iran’s launch of the Noor-3 satellite using Qased (Messenger) Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) on September 27, 2023 was in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

“The claim in the letter is completely unfounded as Iran has never taken any activity inconsistent with the Security Council Resolution 2231,” the Iranian ambassador said.

Iravani added, “Iran has made it clear time and again that all activities related to its missile and space programs are fully in compliance with its legitimate rights under international law.”

“Moreover, Iran has consistently maintained that its missile and space programs fall outside the purview and competence of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) and its annexes,” he noted.

Iran’s UN envoy stated that the Israeli regime’s baseless claim is aimed at diverting attention from “heinous crimes committed by this apartheid regime against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

“Accusing Iran of destabilizing activities in the region appears to be nothing more than a desperate attempt by the Israeli regime to evade accountability for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity that have been committed and are being committed in the occupied Palestine.”

Iravani concluded his letter by urging the international community “and, in particular, the United Nations Security Council to hold the Israeli regime accountable for these atrocities”.

Earlier in October, Iravani had written a similar letter to the UN chief and the Security Council’s president after Britain, Germany and France claimed in a letter to the UN that Iran’s space activities, including the launch of Qased satellite carrier, violated the Security Council’s resolutions.

“We reiterate, once again, that Iran is determined to continue its activities related to ballistic missiles and space launch vehicles, both of which are within its inherent rights under international law and are necessary for the preservation of its security as well as socioeconomic interests,” he said in that letter.

“We caution against any politically driven approach used by certain developed countries with space programs that seek to demonize the use of space technology for peaceful purposes by developing countries under absurd pretexts such as proliferation concerns,” the Iranian diplomat added.