TEHRAN — Regarding Iran's permanent membership in the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the Vice President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on Thursday the level and quality of Iran's participation in the committee as a member surprised everyone and completely was approved by the scientists of the committee.

"Following constant follow-ups by the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority (INRA) at the Atomic Energy Organization and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2017, Iran's application for membership in the committee was accepted along with three countries of Norway, the United Arab Emirates and Algeria," Mohammad Reza Kardan said while explaining the process of Iran’s membership in the scientific committee and its promotion from an observer to a permanent member.

The official added: "According to UN General Assembly Resolution 72/76, the applicant countries were asked to nominate a relevant scientist as an observer for a period of 4 years, in order to decide on their permanent membership after the 4-year period, based on the executive method of membership in the committee and based on the useful and effective presence of member countries in the activities." 

The AEOI deputy chief stated that by taking advantage of national capacities and Iranian scientists in the technical working groups, Iran had had an active and effective participation in committee, adding that the level and quality of the participation of Iran in the programs of the committee were such that it astonished the members of the committee to the extent that everyone agrees that Iran's presence in the committee can significantly increase the quality of activities.

"In the sixty-eighth meeting of the committee in 2021, and after 4 years of the presence of observer members, the consideration of permanent membership of four observer countries, including Iran, was on the agenda of the committee. In this meeting, which was held virtually, a report on the activities carried out by Iran in the past four years was presented and at the end, the proposal for Iran's permanent membership in the UNSCEAR was agreed upon by consensus," Kardan stated.
 
Recalling that permanent membership in the UNSCEAR should be approved by the UN General Assembly, he underlined that intensive diplomatic consultation by the Foreign Ministry as well as effective, scientific, research and brilliant record provided by Iran coupled with full support by the committee's scientists, fortunately Iran's membership in the UN General Assembly was approved and Iran's position in this international body was upgraded from an observer to a permanent member.
 
The scientific committee was established in 1955 to gather and evaluate information on the effects of atomic radiation on humans and how to deal with the effects of radiation and the concerns arising from nuclear weapons tests, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 913. 
UNSCEAR had 15 members at the time of establishment and increased its members to 27 in three periods, which with the permanent membership of Iran and three other countries, the number of full members will increase to 31.