Removing Iran From UN Panel to Set ‘Dangerous Precedent’

UNITED NATIONS (KI) – Iran’s envoy to the United Nations has warned against U.S. attempts to cancel the Islamic Republic’s membership in the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), denouncing the bid as politically-motivated and in contravention with the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.
“If the U.S. push to cancel Iran’s membership in the CSW succeeds, it will set a dangerous precedenct within the United Nations, and will cast doubt on the equality of member states in the international organization,” Amir Saeed Iravani wrote in identical letters addressed to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, president of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Lachezara Stoeva and chairwoman of the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women Mathu Joyini.
The senior Iranian diplomat went on to point to Washington’s efforts to annul Iran’s CSW membership when the ECOSOC convenes on December 14, stating that the bid is rooted in false claims and unsubstantiated allegations against Iran.
“This illegal initiative is indicative of another U.S. attempt to abuse the UN for the sake of its own political objectives,” Iravani said.
He said the Islamic Republic of Iran has always warned against the abuse of UN-affiliated institutions for the purpose of advancement of political goals, as the practice undermines the credibility of the United Nations.
Iran’s UN envoy also drew attention to Washington’s hostile policies and its campaign of maximum political and economic pressures against Tehran, especially after former U.S. president Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal – officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, and said ratification of the U.S. motion will be very dangerous for the entire UN.
“Not only will this initiative establish a dangerous procedure with adverse repercussions, it will also be against the essence of the United Nations and will undermine the sovereign equality of member states, their participation in the international arena, and the equal and proportionate presence of world states in all international bodies. This is while such subjects constitute one of the basic foundations of the United Nations and multilateralism,” Iravani stressed.
“It has never been the case that an elected ECOSOC member would lose its membership in a certain commission for a specific purpose,” the Iranian diplomat said, calling on the UN chief to support the principles of the UN Charter within his responsibilities and prevent the non-constructive and destructive anti-Iran bids, led by the U.S., as they will endanger the active and comprehensive participation of all member states within the activities of the United Nations.