UNITED NATIONS (Dispatches) -- A senior Iranian diplomat has denounced unilateral U.S. sanctions and the international community’s failure to stand up to the policy, saying the world must take “serious and effective” steps to counter American coercion against developing states.
The first counselor of Iran’s permanent mission to the UN, Ali Hajilari, made the remarks addressing the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York.
“The U.S.’ unilateral coercive measures, including the imposition of illegitimate and illegal sanctions on developing countries, on the one hand, and the international community’s passivity towards it, on the other hand, have turned the pivotal ideal of sustainable development, namely ‘no one should be left behind’, into a purely decorative, absurd, ridiculous and meaningless slogan,” he said.
This slogan, he said, is the backbone and the “DNA” of development and without its realization, any effort or plan to promote development in countries is more like a joke.
The Iranian diplomat urged the international community to adopt an immediate and effective measure to lift illegal and illegitimate sanctions against developing countries.
“It will not be possible to achieve the right to development, as an inalienable human right, while multilateralism is under mounting pressure and the unilateral measures taken by a small number of countries have endangered the foundation of international cooperation,” Hajilari said.
In order for the ideal of “no one should be left behind” to materialize, the international community needs to take integrated, coherent, constructive, and effective steps to end any unilateral coercive measures, including illegitimate and illegal sanctions against developing countries, he added.
“This important issue will not be possible unless immediate and united measures are taken to counter both unilateral coercive measures as well as those countries that impose such illegitimate actions on others,” the envoy said.
The Economic and Social Council is at the heart of the United Nations system to advance the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental. It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.
The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations.
Addressing the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AIDS on Thursday, Iran’s permanent envoy to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the illegal U.S. sanctions are endangering the Iranian nation’s health.
“The United States’ oppressive and unilateral sanctions run counter to the principles and goals sought by the UN Charter as well as the international law and the essential norms that govern the international relations,” Takht-Ravanchi said.