Iran protests UN Secretariat’s action
Tehran - BORNA - The text of Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani’s letter reads as follows:
“In continuation of the letter dated 27 September from the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I hereby, in the strongest possible terms, register my categorical objection to today’s action by the Secretariat in ‘informing Member States’ about the so-called ‘reimposition of terminated resolutions concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran.’ In this regard, I wish to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the following points:
Resolution 2231 does not grant the Secretary-General or the Secretariat any authority to determine, declare, or notify Member States regarding the so-called ‘reimposition of terminated resolutions.’ The resolution sets out a specific mechanism in operative paragraphs 11 and 12, placing the matter exclusively within the competence of the Security Council. By acting unilaterally, the Secretariat has exceeded its authority and encroached upon the prerogatives of the Security Council.
The precedent of October 2020 is clear: when similar claims were advanced by the United States regarding the so-called snapback mechanism, deep divisions within the Security Council over the validity of such claims prevented the Secretariat from taking any unilateral or administrative action to implement them. The restraint shown at that time reaffirmed the lack of any authority under Resolution 2231 for the Secretariat to act independently on this highly contested matter.
By deliberately issuing this notification, despite the existence of clear and fundamental divisions among Security Council members and in the absence of consensus at the Council’s 19 September 2025 meeting, the Secretariat has effectively taken sides with the three European countries and the United States. This action constitutes a serious violation of Article 100 of the UN Charter, which obliges the Secretary-General and Secretariat staff to refrain from seeking or receiving instructions from any government or external authority and to uphold the highest standards of independence and impartiality.
The Secretariat’s partiality in this matter undermines its credibility and neutral standing as an international civil service. Such conduct gravely erodes Member States’ trust in the Office of the Secretariat and sets a dangerous precedent for the politicization of its role.
The Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects today’s action by the Secretariat, considering it null and void, devoid of any legal basis, and in explicit contradiction with the Charter. We strongly demand that this grave misconduct be immediately rectified and that firm assurances be provided that the Secretariat will fully adhere to its obligations under Article 100 of the Charter and refrain from any further action or interference in such matters.
I would be grateful if the present letter could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.”
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