good news iran: Iran admitted as full member UN Scientific Committee on Effects of Atomic Radiation

Here is the full text of Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN in this regard:

The Islamic Republic of Iran attaches great importance to the work of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). Since its inception, it has made valuable contributions aimed towards expanding the scope of knowledge and understanding regarding the levels, effects and risks of exposure to ionizing radiation while fulfilling its original mandate with scientific authority and independence of judgment.

Nowadays and with the rapid increase in use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes in many areas, including power productions, health, agriculture, bio-technology, pharmacology and industry, the Committee’s role in providing a definitive scientific foundation to Member States for formulating international standards for protection of the general public, workers and patients against ionizing radiation is becoming increasingly imperative. In this context, my delegation welcomes any measure aimed at strengthening and enhancing the work of the Scientific Committee, including increasing its membership and the contributions that new members can provide towards the work of the Committee.

The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its deep gratitude for the valuable support rendered to it by the international community to become a new member of the Committee. We further appreciate the Australian delegation, particularly Ms. Kirstin Henderson, as facilitator of the draft resolution for her dedicated effort to achieve consensus on the draft. Iran reiterates its full support for and cooperation with the UNSCEAR in order to further enhance the infrastructure, capacity and training of its personnel as well as support nuclear safety, protect the public health and the environment from the harmful effects of atomic radiation.

In response to the baseless allegation made by the representative of the Israeli regime against my Country, I should remind Israel’s longstanding history of arrogantly and flagrantly violating hundreds of resolutions adopted by the United Nations, in particular the General Assembly and Security Council since 1948, as a result of its acts of aggression and occupation as well as its well-documented atrocities and war crimes committed against the Palestinians and people of the region. Israel, by refusing to adhere to the NPT, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the “Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and their Destruction”, continues to defy all international regimes governing weapons of mass destruction. Further, it continues to seriously hamper the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East proposed by Iran in 1974. Nevertheless, it attempts to portray Iran’s conventional weapon capabilities or its exclusively peaceful nuclear programme, which is under the most robust verification of the International Atomic Energy Agency, as a challenge to regional stability. This is but a hypocritical move to distract attention away from the actual danger posed to regional peace and security by Israel, particularly its nuclear-weapon arsenals as well as its clandestine and unsafeguarded nuclear installations and activities.

Given Israel’s threats to regional and international peace and security as well as its unlawful and brutal measures against Palestinians, the international community must be fully vigilant towards all of the destabilizing policies and illegal practices of this regime in the volatile region of the Middle East, including their ramifications for international peace and security, and thus hold it accountable for all such inhumane policies and unlawful practices.

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