Unilateralism key contributor to global terrorism, extremism: Iran diplomat

An Iranian diplomat has condemned unilateral and meddlesome policies as key contributors to rising terrorism and a major threat jeopardizing global peace and security.

News ID: 447060

Date: 16 September 2019 - 08:54

RNA - "Today, the world's democratic principles and international regulations are increasingly and openly being ignored," Iran's envoy to the United Nations General Assembly Farhad Mamdouhi said in an address to the 20th anniversary of the body’s adoption of the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace in New York on Friday.

He added that the existing and emerging threats at regional and international levels are hindering the countries' efforts to promote peace and security.

The Iranian diplomat emphasized that withdrawal from international organizations, particularly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Human Rights Council, as well as international accords such as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change are examples of arrogant policies emanating from unilateralism, referring to Washington’s exit.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mamdouhi said that peace and security can only be achieved through collective cooperation among governments and based on respecting the interests of all countries.

He stressed the importance of promoting multilateralism within the framework of a broad comprehensive decision-making approach in order to firmly counter extreme unilateralism.

"We should play an active role in promoting and defending multilateralism as a proper framework for presenting sustainable methods to solve the existing challenges," the senior Iranian diplomat said.

He noted that dialog and cooperation can ensure the establishment of sustainable peace and development across the world.

In an interview with China's state-run Xinhua news agency published late last month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the “violent unilateralism” relentlessly pursued by the United States has posed a serious threat to the international system and other countries.

“We believe that the United States is pushing a new sort of violent unilateralism, an extremist unilateralism, which destroys all the foundations of global order,” Iran’s top diplomat said.

US President Donald Trump has pulled out of several agreements and treaties since taking office in January 2017.

Last month, Washington officially pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia – a Cold War-era treaty on the elimination of their medium-range and shorter-range missiles, which included missiles carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads.

The US along with Israel also officially pulled out of UNESCO at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day over what they described as the world body’s anti-Israel bias.

In June 2018, the United States withdrew from the United Nations' top human rights body, accusing it of "chronic bias" against Israel.

Back in May 2018, the US president also sparked international criticism when he pulled his country out of the landmark Iran nuclear deal, reached between Tehran and major world powers in 2015.

Trump also announced that the US was withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement in January 2017.

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