TEHRAN - A top Iranian diplomat said on Saturday that it is impossible to find a “just solution” to the Palestinian issue without observing the rights of the Palestinian nation, urging nations member to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to back fully back Palestinians.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that without paying attention to the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, including the exercise of their right to self-determination, the cessation of all acts of aggression and occupation against them as well as the restoration of justice and dignity rendered to them, it would be impossible to find a just solution for the crisis,” Gholam-Hossein Dehqani told a NAM ministerial meeting on Palestine.

Following is the full text of his speech published by IRNA:

At the outset, I would like to express my Government’s sincere appreciation to the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in its capacity as the Chair of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement, for holding this important meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the NAM on Palestine. 

Since its creation, the occupying regime has been ignoring international law, defying the decisions of international institutions, including so many resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council, and violating other international legal instruments through its actions wherein it continues to commit numerous war crimes, apartheid policy, massive and systematic violations of human rights, state terrorism, expanding settlements and displacing a larger number of Palestinians. In addition, the occupying regime, by acquiring nuclear weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction, has become a dangerous and troublesome phenomenon in the international arena, which clearly threatens international peace and security in an unequivocally irresponsible manner. 

Due to the flout by the occupying regime of relevant international law and regulations, including the UN resolutions, the international community is yet to be able to find a just solution to the crisis. The expanding illegal settlement activities in the Palestinian Territory, which constitute not only grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention but also war crimes as defined by the ICC Rome Statute, have long ago demonstrated that the Israeli regime has never had any interest in peace with the Palestinians. Furthermore, its so-called participation in the peace process has merely been a shroud to hide its policy of aggression and expansion. Nowadays and emboldened by the changes in US political landscape, it has simply put aside that shroud and totally negated any right of the Palestinian state under the title of “one Jewish state”. 

The Islamic Republic of Iran is of the view that without paying attention to the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, including the exercise of their right to self-determination, the cessation of all acts of aggression and occupation against them as well as the restoration of justice and dignity rendered to them, it would be impossible to find a just solution for the crisis. 

We condemn the US' decision on Al-Quds on 6 December 2017, and reject its consequences, including the recent USA action in moving its embassy to Al-Quds. This action represents a grave violation of international laws and UN resolutions. It is clearly an illegal and immoral aggression over the rights of the Palestinian people and a highly provocative action that pushes the Middle East region into further violence and conflict. The Government of the United States should absolutely be accountable for the consequences of its illegal action, especially its unconditional support for the Israeli regime and the total impunity it extends to this regime in committing such crimes against the Palestinian People and the region.

Along with other NAM members, we strongly condemn the recent massacre of Palestinian protesters within the Gaza borders by the Israeli regime which resulted in killing of more than 170 civilians and injury of 18,000. In this regard, we welcome the adoption of the resolution on the protection of the Palestinian civilian population in the General Assembly on 13 June 2018 by the overwhelming majority of the UN Member States. The adoption of the resolution is considered an important step toward the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and also a means to hold the Israeli regime accountable for its war crimes against the Palestinian people in particular civilian population in Gaza.

In conclusion, once again, I would like to take this opportunity to call upon all NAM Member States to stress our collective determination to stand by the oppressed nation of Palestine and reaffirm our commitment to fully support them.