Haddad Adel Calls for an End to Veto Right

8 October 2007

Tehran-Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel said in Geneva on Monday that the veto right of the United Nations Security Council permanent members is contrary to the democratic principles and the UN member states must make efforts to put an end to such privilege.

He said in his address to the 117th conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Committee on United Nations affairs that as long as such a privilege is available for members of the Security Council, the body will not be successful in establishing peace and security in the world.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran calls for exercising limitations in using veto right and rally support for an end to the veto right," he said.

He made it clear that the structure, composition and performance of the Security Council are in such a way that runs counter to the elementary criteria and democratic values.

"A meaningful reform of the United Nations should include restructuring of the Security Council to keep up with the needs of the time," Haddad Adel said.

He said that the Security Council is required to adopt democratic, transparent and up-to-date measures in fulfilling its responsibility.

"Today, relations between different countries must be based on mutual respect, avoiding use of force and emphasis on settlement of dispute through dialogue. The parliaments are playing vital and sensitive role in this respect, because they advocate logic and dialogue and the legal procedure to deal with problems.

"I hope that participating parliament speakers will mobilize their efforts to prevent war and military engagement and encourage dialogue and international understanding for resolving the disputes as the best way for the purpose," Haddad Adel said.

The Iranian Majlis speaker complained that the Security Council has intervened in the issues which fall within jurisdiction of other organs of the United Nations, citing Iranian nuclear program.

"The US and several of its allies have referred Iranian dispute with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to Security Council and the body has passed several resolutions against Iran which are both unfair and illegal under the atmosphere of extortion and intimidation.

"While, the Islamic Republic of Iran is making efforts for confidence-building with the IAEA and have proved goodwill to resolve the outstanding issues with the UN agency and part of the dispute has been resolved," he said.

Haddad Adel said that certain countries which used the IAEA reports selectively in the past to exert pressure on Iran are currently ignoring reports of the agency which indicated a breakthrough in resolving the dispute over Iranian nuclear program.

"It has become clear that the US and its allies are using the Security Council as a leverage to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights without taking into account IAEA reports on Iran."