🇮🇷Iran (Islamic Republic of) · UNGA 81 speech

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Mr. President, in response to the UAE representative, the Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its full sovereignty over the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Quriyat al-Tum, and Lesser Tum in the Persian Gulf. They have been, are, and will remain integral parts of our territory, and our sovereignty over them is not negotiable. We therefore categorically reject any claim to the country. I must also stress that Persian Gulf is the only true geographical designation for the body of water lying between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. This name has been used since the dawn of history has been endorsed by the United Nations system and must therefore be respected by all. Regarding Iran's lawful defensive acts against the US military facilities in the region, I must refer to this Assembly's resolution on the definition of aggression. It declares that the action of a State in allowing its territory, which it has placed at the disposal of another state to be used by that state for perpetrating an act of aggression against a third state constitutes an act of aggression, period. Under international law, any state that knowingly makes its territory available for the commission of an act of aggression must bear all the consequences and legal responsibilities for its internationally wrongful act. The missiles that killed 168 children at a primary school in Minab and struck the Lamed sports complex during the US-Israeli regime's joint aggression against Iran were launched from neighboring territory. These are only two of many such examples. Our defensive acts against the US military infrastructure were carried out in the exercise of our inherent right to self-defense. Yet, to date, Iran has exercised the utmost restraint in conducting such lawful acts. Our response was confined to the U.S. military installation and assets. Any further aggression against Iran from regional countries will be met with the most devastating response. Dear Mr. President, regarding the Canadian representative's remarks, I must underscore that the real affront to international law is to make a desperate attempt through disinformation, misdirection, demonization, and the labeling of a country as the so-called principal threat to peace and security to whitewash the Israeli regime's crimes. The biggest lie of the century is that in his address to the UN General Assembly, the notorious prime minister of the Israeli regime labeled his genocide in Gaza as the biggest lie of the century. But neither his words nor Canadian representatives' remarks can erase documented realities, nullify court findings and orders, whitewash crimes witnessed by the world, or change the reality that the Israeli regime is the exclusive principal threat to the peace and security. Furthermore, no amount of fabrication and falsehoods can absolve Canada and other Western countries, particularly the US, of their international responsibilities and individual criminal responsibilities of their officials for the complicity in crimes committed by the Israeli regime in our region. I thank you.