At the Monday debate session of UN General Assembly’s First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), delegates voiced concerns at the possible breakdown of the Iran nuclear deal and discussed ways to get collective disarmament efforts back on track.

Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to UN, Es’hagh Al-Habib, said systematic attempts have been made to undermine the value, significance and efficacy of multilateralism, to demonize multilateral institutions and agreements and to disregard global rules and norms.

One clear example is the illegal United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which is the outcome of long and intensive multilateral diplomatic efforts to resolve a manufactured crisis and build trust. Violating its commitments under the agreement as well as Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), the United States brazenly forces others to either violate the resolution or face punishment. Under such circumstances, “doing nothing is not an option”, he said, calling on Member States to defend multilateralism as the foundation of the rules‑based international system and to seek ways to advance multilateral cooperation on disarmament and non‑proliferation.

At the same time, he denounced a lack of meaningful effort put forth by nuclear‑weapon States to implement their obligations to eliminate their arsenals. “The core problem of nuclear disarmament is unilateralism, in particular the unilateral nuclear actions and policies of the United States,” he said, affirming that as long as the current United States nuclear policy remains, no progress will be made towards disarmament. The lack of progress in the establishment of a nuclear‑weapon‑free zone in the Middle East is another matter of deep concern, he continued, noting that peace and stability cannot be achieved in the volatile region as long as the Israeli nuclear arsenal exists.

In return, the US representative said his country is seeking a “comprehensive” deal with Iran, which covers its nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as its regional influence. He added that the JCPOA does not serve the United States’ interests.

The representative of Iran responded to his counterpart from the United States, reiterating the country’s violations of the JCPOA.

The Government of the United States was obfuscating facts and violating international commitments. The JCPOA was negotiated and concluded because the United States was trying to deny Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear activities. The Security Council then endorsed the agreement by consensus, but now the United States is violating its commitments without any justification for such actions. The International Atomic Energy Agency explained its position regarding Iran’s cooperation, which has been sufficient for other Member States.  But, the United States seeks to undermine the Agency’s credibility, in line with its policy to challenge multilateralism. Iran is now subject to the world’s most robust nuclear surveillance regime.

Responding to comments made by Israel’s representative, Al Habib said Iran is at the forefront of fighting terrorism in Syria and Iraq. Israel is occupying the State of Palestine, killing Palestinians daily and launching aggressions against its neighbors and beyond. Moreover, Israel is not complying with General Assembly resolutions. Nuclear weapons in the hands of such a regime poses a great threat to the peace and security of the region, he said.