TEHRAN- Iran’s permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations in New York has emphasized Iran's demand for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, asserting that these unilateral actions serve as a means of collective punishment for the Syrian populace. 

Amir Saied Iravani made these remarks during a UN Security Council meeting focused on the situation in Syria on Wednesday. 

He characterized the U.S. sanctions as “inhumane,” arguing that they obstruct Syria's recovery efforts in the aftermath of the prolonged conflict in the country. 

The complete text of the Iranian envoy's speech is as follows:

“As we commence our first address of the month, we extend our congratulations to Sierra Leone for its presidency of the UN Security Council and commend its effective leadership thus far.

We express our gratitude to Mr. Pederson, the special envoy, and Ms. Msuya, the acting undersecretary general for Humanitarian Affairs, for their valuable briefings.

The humanitarian crisis in Syria remains critical, with the Syrian population enduring significant economic difficulties.

The politicization of humanitarian assistance and the obstruction of international aid for Syria's reconstruction, primarily instigated by the U.S. and its Western allies, have exacerbated the conflict and deepened the suffering of the Syrian people.

Moreover, the U.S. continues to impose inhumane unilateral sanctions, which serve as a means of collective punishment against the Syrian populace. These unlawful actions create unnecessary hardships and impede Syria's recovery efforts.

We reiterate our demand for the immediate lifting of these detrimental measures, which is both a legal obligation and a moral necessity.

In addition, it is essential to provide impartial and non-politicized humanitarian aid across all regions of Syria to save lives.

Prioritizing early recovery initiatives is vital to deliver comprehensive support and assist communities in rebuilding and enhancing their resilience.

Facilitating Syria’s reconstruction and ensuring the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their original homes must be central to any comprehensive resolution of the ongoing conflict in Syria.

The interests of millions of Syrian refugees should not be exploited for political gain by certain nations.

Postponing their return only extends their suffering and imposes an excessive burden on neighboring countries.

Iran appreciates the Syrian government's decision to extend UN access to the Bab Al Salam and Al Ray crossings for an additional three months, until 13 November, as well as the six-month extension of access to the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which was implemented last month.

We unequivocally denounce Israel's persistent aggression against Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which includes attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as its ongoing occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

Israel's harmful actions in the region represent a significant threat to global peace and security.

With unwavering backing from the United States and political support from the United Kingdom, Israel's occupying forces continue to perpetrate daily atrocities and systematic war crimes against the Palestinian population in Gaza and the West Bank, while also infringing upon Lebanon's sovereignty with complete impunity.

The Security Council must categorically condemn Israel's oppressive regime for its harmful actions in the region and take decisive measures to compel this terrorist regime to terminate its occupation of the Syrian Golan, halt all aggressive actions and acts of terrorism against Syria and Lebanon, and cease the ongoing genocidal campaign against the Palestinian populace.

Iran is dedicated to a political solution for the Syrian crisis. We endorse the efforts of the special envoy and appreciate his proactive engagement with all parties involved in resolving the conflict.

Iran strongly supports the immediate resumption of the Constitutional Committee meetings and backs initiatives to conduct the ninth round of constitutional discussions in Baghdad, Iraq, as this approach has garnered support from the majority of stakeholders.

Moreover, Iran, in collaboration with its Astana format partners, Russia and Turkey, remains committed to achieving lasting normalization in Syria.

In this regard, we fully endorse the revival of Syrian-Turkish dialogue, acknowledging its significance in these broader efforts.

In summary, Mr. President, I wish to emphasize the United States' accountability for the ongoing crisis in Syria and the surrounding area. 

The unlawful presence of U.S. military forces serves as a fundamental cause of instability and insecurity in Syria, enabling terrorist organizations to fortify their positions and perpetrate further acts of violence.

This situation infringes upon Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, the UN charter, and various Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2254 in 2015.

The assertion of combating terrorism cannot, under any circumstances, excuse these serious violations.

Nevertheless, rather than taking decisive measures to address these significant breaches, the United States persists in its actions while simultaneously supporting Israel with considerable military, intelligence, financial assistance, and diplomatic protection, allowing it to continue its heinous acts against other nations in the region.”