STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR FARAJVAND TO THE OPCW AT THE 106TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL UNDER AGENDA ITEM 5

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR HADI FARAJVAND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN TO THE OPCW AT THE 106TH SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL UNDER AGENDA ITEM 5

Mr. Chairperson,
Mr. Director-General,
Distinguished delegates,
At the outset, I would like to congratulate Ambassador Andrés Terán Parral of Ecuador on assuming the position of Chairperson of the Executive Council, and assure him of the support and cooperation of my delegation.
I also express my appreciation to the Director General, Fernando Arias, for his statement and reports, and to all members of the Technical secretariat for preparing this Session.
My delegation aligns itself with the statement, delivered by Ambassador Mirjam Blaak Sow of Uganda, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and China.

Mr. Chairperson,
Last week, Iranians commemorated the 37th anniversary of the chemical bombing of Sardasht. It was the first time after World War II that the civilian population of a city were targeted by WMDs. That barbaric attack killed more than one hundred people and injured more than eight thousands. Many of the survivors are still suffering today. The wounds of Sardasht are open. Those who enabled the regime of Saddam Hossein to commit such crimes, shall be held accountable and brought to justice.

Mr. Chairperson,
We have convened here with a shared commitment to advance international peace and security. In this connection, I would like to remind the continuing tragedy in Palestine. Despite the condemnation and prosecution by International organisations and tribunals, the Israeli regime has not stopped genocide, displacement of civilians and bombardment of civilian and humanitarian infrastructure. This inhumane invasion has taken the lives of more than 40 thousand civilians, mostly children and women, and has wounded nearly 90 thousand people in Gaza and the West Bank. It has displaced most of 2.3 million population of Gaza. More than half of houses, half of hospitals, 90 percent of schools and more than 260 places of worship in Gaza have been destroyed.
The terrorist regime of Israel, among its many other violations of international law, has indicated no hesitation in targeting civilians and residential areas in Gaza and Lebanon with white phosphorus and other toxic munitions.
These crimes once again remind us of the utmost importance of the universality of the Convention. My delegation is of the view that with the accomplishment of the destruction of declared chemical weapons stockpiles, a stronger focus shall be placed on the universality of the Convention.

Mr. Chairperson,
Decades after the entry into force of the Convention, the international community shall not tolerate any threat of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances. We have to make it clear to non-parties that maintaining chemical weapons has no justification, and is a major threat against international peace and security. They must bear the consequences of staying outside of the Convention. Those who have influence on non-parties, bear a particular responsibility and shall exert pressure on them to join the Convention without any further delay.

Mr. Chairperson,
Dialogue and cooperation within a mutually agreed framework is the most effective way to resolve any remaining issues related to the Syrian Arab Republic. Political pressure has repeatedly proven to be a failed approach that jeopardises any progress. We welcome recent developments, including 27th round of consultation with the DAT, and encourage the continuation of dialogue and cooperation between Syria and the TS.

Mr. Chairperson,
The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to the full, effective, and non-discriminatory implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. All States Parties, including developing states, must fully enjoy all the intended benefits of adhering to the Convention. Facilitating the trade of chemicals and relevant equipment and transfer of technology has been a major incentive for developing countries to join the Convention. The policy of blockade and restriction is contrary to the letter and spirit of the Convention. Imposing illegal sanctions, which impede provision of medicine and medical supplies for treatment of chemical weapons victims, is also a serious violation of human rights. Taking concrete measures to address the needs of the victims of chemical weapons lies within the responsibilities of the Organization and the States Parties.

Mr. Chairperson,
The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a major victim of chemical weapons, strongly supports the Organisation and urges it to adhere to its conventional mandate and maintain its professionalism, impartiality and independence. We are of the view that consensual decision making, and full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of all provisions of the Convention is crucial for the future of our Organization.

I would kindly ask you to consider this statement as an official document of this session and publish it on the external server and the website of the OPCW.
I thank you Mr. Chairman.