TEHRAN – Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations says based on unsubstantiated allegations, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the UN Security Council have been used in the past several years against the Syrian government.

“In the past several years, based on unsubstantiated allegations, the processes of the CWC, OPCW and the Security Council have been abused against the Syrian Government,” Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in a statement addressing a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in West Asia.

“As a major victim of chemical weapons in the contemporary history, Iran continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

He said Iran also reiterates its call for the balanced, full and non-discriminatory implementation of the CWC and upholding the authority of the OPCW.

“As a major victim of chemical weapons in the contemporary history, Iran continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere and under any circumstances,” says Iran’s ambassador to the UN Takht-Ravanchi.

“The fact is that in 2014, the head of the Joint Mission to Eliminate Chemical Weapons in Syria, in her final report to this Council, confirmed that Syria has fulfilled all its commitments and that its entire chemical stockpiles have been destroyed,” the ambassador pointed out.

“Later, the OPCW also confirmed the destruction of the entire chemical stockpile of Syria and all its 27 production facilities,” he added.

According to Takht-Ravanchi, such facts as well as the Syrian government’s significant cooperation with the OPCW and the UN, including its provision to the OPCW of over 80 monthly reports and large amount of information are being neglected.

Such unproductive policies have not contributed to the resolution of the outstanding questions, he stated.

Rather, the Iranian ambassador continued, it has divided this Council, eroded the OPCW’s credibility and weakened professionalism and consensual decision-making process in that organization.

“Additionally, it has adversely affected the efforts for the full and effective realization of the very purpose of the CWC, namely the elimination of chemical weapons, which is yet to be realized due to blatant failure by the U.S. as the sole major Possessor State Party,” he said.

“To avoid this situation, the current trend in this Council and the OPCW, which has been initiated solely based on politically-motivated objectives of certain countries, needs to discontinue,” Takht-Ravanchi added.

He concluded his remarks by saying that Iran stands ready to do whatever in its power to restore the OPCW’s authority and promote the full and non-discriminatory implementation of the CWC.

MH/PA