Equipo Nizkor - S/2016/781 - Letter from Iran in response to the accusations that it supports chemical weapons use in Syria.

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/781

Distr.: General
16 September 2016
Original: English

Letter dated 12 September 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

Upon instructions from my Government, and with reference to the letter dated 16 August 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2016/719), requesting the circulation of the letter of an entity engaged in crimes and violence in Syria, I wish to bring the following to your attention:

That entity and its supporters, by accusing the Islamic Republic of Iran of supporting the use of chemical weapons and other prohibited weapons, insidiously intend to mislead the members of the United Nations. It is evident that Iran, as the last victim of the mass use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein's regime, which committed such heinous crimes with the help and support of many, including certain countries in the region, and as a committed State party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, has always condemned the use of these weapons by anybody, anywhere, and has always declared its objection to such use.

The very act of submitting such baseless propaganda against a State Member of the United Nations by another State Member of the United Nations to be circulated as a United Nations document runs counter to the very purposes and principles of the United Nations, which consist of, inter alia, developing friendly relations among nations and peacefully resolving international disputes.

This act also amounts to misusing an established practice at the United Nations and employing it in the service of spreading lies and distorting facts, which can only serve shortsighted political interests and narrow agendas. This certainly aggravates, rather than eases, tensions and is contrary to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

As a member of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and a victim of these weapons, the Islamic Republic of Iran has always warned against the use of these inhumane weapons by all, especially by terrorists, following the savagery and barbaric crimes perpetrated against the Syrian and Iraqi peoples by extremist groups and their supporters. It is imperative that all States Members of the United Nations adopt a responsible and serious approach to focus on the real challenges that jeopardize peace and security in our region.

I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Gholamali Khoshroo
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

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16Sep16

Letter from Iran in response to the accusations that it supports chemical weapons use in Syria