UN Security Council Weakened by US Support for Israel: Iran Envoy

Majid Takht-e Ravanchi told a UN Security Council meeting on Palestine on Wednesday that while the occupation of Palestine was the main cause of the Middle East crisis, the Israeli regime is going to open a new chapter in the ongoing repression and crimes by implementing a plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.

“Such an expansionist policy will further destabilise and complicate the dire situation in the Middle East, which will have far-reaching consequences for regional and international peace and security,” he added.

He went on to say that the annexation of parts of occupied Palestinian territory would be a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

Such a repressive plan is primarily the result of continued and full support of the US for the Israeli regime’s expansionist policies and illegal actions over the past seven decades, reiterated Takht-e Ravanchi.

“The support has continued, despite the blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the disregard for all standards of international conduct and all the principles of humanity and morality. By abusing its position as a permanent member of the Security Council, the United States has fully and systematically protected the Israeli regime and, as a result, made the Council ineffective in countering the regime’s crimes.”

This has led Israel to commit more crimes and savagery with complete immunity, with live examples of continued construction and expansion of settlements, a permanent inhumane siege of the Gaza Strip, and repeated violations of Syrian and Lebanese sovereignty in stark contrast to the UN Charter and international law, said Takht-e Ravanchi.

“These acts have also led to the continued erosion of honesty and trust in the Security Council and the United Nations in general.”

At this moment of international relations, which has moved from a process of regression-based multilateralism to unparalleled power-based unilateralism, the United Nations and its member states have an explicit legal duty and a heavy moral responsibility to act immediately and with full force. The plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory must be rejected and the Israeli regime has to be held accountable for all the crimes it has committed over the past 72 years, stated Iran’s representative.

He added that this should not be limited to verbal rejection and condemnation. In order to fulfill their legal obligations under international law, all countries must prevent any recognition of these annexations.