U.S. sanctions jeopardizing global trade system: envoy

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Es’haq Al-e Habib, says Washington’s illegal sanctions have endangered the international trade system, calling on the international community to break its silence over what he called an “unprecedented threat”.

Addressing a meeting of the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly held in New York on Monday, Al-e Habib said it is undeniable that commitment to multilateral cooperation as a basis for global treaties and agreements is currently under unprecedented and growing pressure.

“Sanction-based policies have made multilateral financial and trade system very inefficient, and now it is upon the international community to guarantee that the financing of development is not taken hostage by certain countries through unilateral coercive measures,” he added, Press TV reported.

“The illegal and illegitimate coercive and unilateral measures of the U.S., including its unprecedented and unjustifiable sanctions against certain developing countries, Iran in particular, amid the international community’s silence have increased in an unprecedented way and threaten the foundations of multilateralism,” Al-e Habib said.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since last year when President Donald Trump abruptly withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal and attempted to put “maximum pressure” on the Islamic Republic.

On May 8, exactly one year after the U.S. abandoned the deal, Tehran began to partially reduce its commitments to the agreement at bi-monthly intervals.

In the first stage, Iran announced that it will not limit its stockpile of the nuclear fuel to 300 kilograms allowed under the deal. However, on that date (May 8) Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) said if the remaining parties to the JCPOA, especially Europeans, devise a mechanism to protect it from the sanctions effect in the two-month deadline it will reverse its decision. 

But since European parties missed the deadline, on July 7 Iran announced that it has started enriching uranium to a higher purity than the 3.67%, thereby starting the second step.

As Europe missed the second 60-day deadline, Iran moved to take the third step, removing ban on nuclear research and development (R&D).

In a letter on September 5, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif notified European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini about Iran’s third step.

In his Monday speech, Al-e Habib also criticized the World Trade Organization (WTO) for blocking Iran’s membership for two decades because of the political pressures of certain member states, saying that unilateral behaviors are currently targeting the WTO, jeopardizing the entire trade system of the world.

Iran, the largest economy not yet member of the WTO, has been requesting to join the organization since 1995, and was admitted to it as an observer in 2005, but sanctions began to hit Tehran afterwards and certain countries – especially the U.S. – opposed its membership.

Diplomat calls Saudi Arabia a fountain of extremism and terrorism

TEHRAN – Es’haq Al-e- Habib, the Iranian deputy ambassador to the UN, said on Friday that the Saudi regime is a “source of terrorism and extremism”.

His comments came as response to Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Abdulaziz al-Assaf’s Friday remarks in the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in which he leveled terrorism charges against Iran and calling for further financial pressure on the country.

“It was Saudi Arabia and not Iran which provided billions of dollars worth of arms to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and affiliated terrorists in Syria,” Press TV quoted Al-e- Habib as saying.

He said that Saudi “despots” cannot go on forever making accusations against Iran as a cover for failures stemming from their “primitive medieval dogmas”.  

The diplomat added that Saudi Arabia’s “destructive” policies should not be overlooked despite the regime’s tendency to blame others for its mistakes.

Al-e Habib further pointed to the high number of Saudi nationals among the main operatives committing the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, adding that the Saudi regime has turned into a hotbed for “radicalism,” with many terrorist leaders being known to have studied in Saudi-backed schools.

At least 15 of the 19 hijackers who flew passenger planes into the World Trade Center on that occasion came from Saudi Arabia. There are also numerous official reports that suggest the attackers were funded by some Saudi royals.

Deal of century aims at consolidating occupation, Iran says

TEHRAN - Es’haq Al-e- Habib, the Iranian deputy ambassador to the UN, said on Tuesday that the United States proposed the “deal of the century” in order to consolidate occupation, urging the world to resist this “unjust move”.

“Under the pretext of economic improvement, the main aim and the true nature of the so-called ‘deal of the century’ is to consolidate the occupation. The World must resist this unjust move,” he stated

Al-e- Habib made the remarks while addressing a UN Security Council meeting on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”.

Following is full text of his statement published by IRNA:

The main development since the previous open debate was the attempts to implement the so-called “deal of the century” through convening a workshop on Palestine in Bahrain.

This initiative is based on ill-intents, wrong assumptions and unrealistic approaches, and therefore is definitely doomed to fail.

It is based on ill intent simply because it has been proposed by the U.S., a country who is well-known for its biased policies rendering unconditional support for Israel as well as unjust practices towards the Palestinians.

The latest living examples include moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Occupied Syrian Golan, both of which are in flagrant violation of the peremptory norms of international law.

Basically, during the past seven decades, the Security Council has been unable to force the Occupying Power to end the occupation because of the unreserved support of the U.S. for Israel.

Such a systematic U.S. support, when even Israel is committing the most heinous and barbaric crimes, has emboldened the Zionist regime to continue, with total impunity, to commit all international crimes systematically.

Relying on such supports, Israel has also continued its expansionist policies and illegitimate practices in oppressing the Palestinians in gross violation of their basic rights.

One of such brutalities is the decade-long illegal blockade of Israel on Gaza, turning it to the largest open prison in the world. This inhumane blockade must come to an end. 

Moreover, the so-called “deal of the century” is based on wrong assumptions simply because it is aimed at buying all causes and aspirations, honor and dignity, property and territory, and inalienable rights of an entire nation. 

It is certainly an illusion and therefore definitively will completely fail.

The cause of Palestine is based on the struggle of a nation for freedom; for liberty; for independence; for complete control over all its ancestral lands; for preserving its religious and cultural identity and sites; and for saving its honor and dignity.
The cause of Palestine is based on the struggle of a nation for freedom; for liberty; for independence; for complete control over all its ancestral lands; for preserving its religious and cultural identity and sites; and for saving its honor and dignity.

Diminishing and shrinking such noble and holy causes to economic improvement is the wrongest ever possible assumption to solve the question of Palestine.

Additionally, the so-called “deal of the century” is based on an unrealistic approach, simply because all of the Palestinian groups, without exception, have strongly rejected this deal.

Furthermore, Al-Quds Al-Sharif, in addition to Palestinians, is dear to all Muslims, and no Muslim in the world is ready to accept such a disgraceful plan. Al-Quds Al-Sharif is and will remain the capital of Palestine.

History tells us that no nation has compromised on its sacred causes and the nation of Palestine is no exception. 

Mere struggle and resistance of Palestinians in the course of the past seven decades clearly indicate that how resolute, determined and persevere they are in realizing their noble objectives of liberty and independence.

They suffered economically for seven decades to liberate their lands. What they need is freedom and liberation. Once the occupation ends, they well know how to improve the economy of their independent State.

At the same time, the international community should continue its strong support to the Palestinians in their struggle to liberate their homeland. 

Under the pretext of economic improvement, the main aim and the true nature of the so-called “deal of the century” is to consolidate the occupation. The World must resist this unjust move.

This Council as well must end the vicious cycle of being bullied by one of its permanent members who unlawfully and brazenly continue rendering this body inactive and ineffective regarding Israel.

This hypocritical policy should come to an end and the Council must be able to play its Charter-based role in support of the Palestinians.

Ultimately, like any other crisis, the question of Palestine cannot be solved without addressing its root causes. There is no magic solution. The unlawful occupation of Palestine is the main source of this crisis and it can end only by ending the occupation.

Finally, the Israeli representative, in total disregard of this meeting’s agenda, which is respected by all and is focused on the Palestinian question, unsuccessfully tried to distract attentions away from the crimes and unlawful policies of its regime. 

He must have explained why they continue the occupation of Palestine; investing on death and destruction; invading other countries; imposing inhumane blockade on Gaza; killing innocent children; demolishing homes, schools and hospitals; promoting racism; developing all types of weapons of mass destruction, including hundreds of nuclear weapons; rejecting to join treaties banning WMDs, particularly the NPT; rejecting the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Stop fabrications, lawlessness, brutality and crimes and be accountable.