NOURNEWS - Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht Ravanchi blasted the US sanctions which have blocked the country’s efforts to access humanitarian goods and prevented paying UN membership dues.
Takht Ravanchi said that the US sanctions had resulted in Iran’s failure to pay membership dues to the world body, but expressed hope that Tehran’s efforts to end the suspension would bear fruit soon.
“As an active member of the UN, Iran has always been committed to paying up its membership dues on time, and we have proven this in practice, but unfortunately, due to the cruel and unilateral sanctions [by the US], we faced the problem of paying up our membership fee for the second consecutive year,” he said.
Takht Ravanchi also stressed that the restrictions are not only impeding Iran’s access to humanitarian items, including medicine and medical equipment, but the bans are also impeding the UN’s work.
The Iranian envoy further noted that the Islamic Republic is working to secure a safe financial channel to pay its UN membership fee and reclaim its voting right.
Takht Ravanchi said that Iran is already discussing the issue with UN officials and hopes that it will be solved in the shortest time possible.
In relevant remarks on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh strongly lashed out at the UN for suspension of the country's voting right, stressing that Tehran is not able to pay up its membership due to the US sanctions.
Khatibzadeh made the remarks after the Islamic Republic was denied the right to cast its vote on various matters at the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council, due to the sanctions that prevent the country from paying up its membership dues for a second consecutive year.
"As a founding and active member of the world body, Iran considers itself duty-bound to fully and timely pay its membership fee at the UN and other international agencies and organizations," he noted.
However, the country has come across some difficulties concerning payment matters as a result of "the US's oppressive and illegal sanctions", the official added.
Tehran has prepared the fees and is conducting necessary consultations with others to resolve the issue through a "safe payment channel", Khatibzadeh said.
He, meanwhile, urged the UN secretary general and the world body's Secretariat to take the situation of sanction-stricken countries into account and do not deny these countries their good offices that could enable them to pay up their membership dues.
Earlier this month, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that a total of 11 countries, including Iran, are behind in their payments.
Under the UN charter, a member country's right to vote is suspended when its arrears equal or exceed the amount of dues it should have paid over the preceding two years, but if the outstanding debt is deemed to be due to conditions beyond the control of the member, the assembly may let that country continue to vote.
The US returned the sanctions against Tehran nearly four years ago after leaving the 2015 agreement with Iran and world powers that had partially suspended the coercive economic measures.
NOURNEWS