Iran Condemns Abuse of CWC, OPCW Processes against Syria

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iran’s UN ambassador denounced the abuse of the processes of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and UN Security Council against Syria despite the Arab country’s cooperation with those bodies.

News ID: 82244

Date: 10 October 2020 - 12:38

In an address to a meeting of the UN Security Council on “the situation in the Middle East – Syria / chemical”, Majid Takht Ravanchi said the processes of the CWC, OPCW, and the Security Council have been abused against Syria over the past several years based on unsubstantiated allegations.

The full text of his speech is as follows:

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,

Mr. President,

First, I would like to congratulate you on assuming the Presidency of the Council for the month of October and assure you of the full cooperation of my delegation.

As a major victim of chemical weapons in contemporary history, Iran continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances.

Iran also reiterates its call for the balanced, full, and non-discriminatory implementation of the CWC and upholding the authority of the OPCW.

In the past several years, based on unsubstantiated allegations, the processes of the CWC, OPCW, and the Security Council have been abused against the Syrian Government.

However, the fact is that in 2014, the head of the Joint Mission to Eliminate Chemical Weapons in Syria, in her final report to this Council, confirmed that Syria has fulfilled all its commitments and that its entire chemical stockpiles have been destroyed.

Later, the OPCW also confirmed the destruction of the entire chemical stockpile of Syria and all its 27 production facilities.

Now, these facts as well as the Syrian government’s significant cooperation with the OPCW and the UN, including its provision to the OPCW of over 80 monthly reports and a large amount of information are being neglected.

Such unproductive policies have not contributed to the resolution of outstanding questions.

Rather, it has divided this Council, eroded the OPCW’s credibility, and weakened professionalism and consensual decision-making process in that Organization.

Additionally, it has adversely affected the efforts for the full and effective realization of the very purpose of the CWC, namely the elimination of chemical weapons, which is yet to be realized due to blatant failure by the US as the sole major Possessor State Party.

To avoid this situation, the current trend in the Security Council and the OPCW, which has been initiated solely based on politically-motivated objectives of certain countries, needs to discontinue.

We stand ready to do whatever in our power to restore the OPCW’s authority and promote the full and non-discriminatory implementation of the CWC.

I thank you, Mr. President.

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