TEHRAN – The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York has defended its vote in favor of the Arab-drafted resolution on the situation in Palestine, saying any vote otherwise would have played into the hands of the Israeli regime. 

The resolution in question was passed overwhelmingly at the UN General Assembly on Friday, with 120 countries voting in favor, 14 voting against, and 45 abstaining.

The resolution called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities in Gaza.

Iran’s UN mission said on Saturday that the resolution was proposed by the Arab League, and its text had not even been put into debate at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, adding that the Islamic Republic did not approve of some parts of the resolution as they were in conflict with Iran’s principled and definite policies towards Palestine, according to IRNA.

Iran however voted in favor of the resolution, because the Zionist regime and its allies were attempting to portray the October 7 “resistance operation” as a terrorist act, the mission said in reference to the Operation Al-Aqsa Storm that Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas launched against Israeli positions from the Gaza Strip.

That attempt was foiled through “strong efforts” by Islamic nations and a number of other states, the Iranian mission said, adding that the Zionist regime and its allies were also trying to create division among countries so that the resolution was approved with the least number of votes.

Considering all these, the mission said, any Iranian vote other than a positive one would have been playing into the hands of the Zionist regime and its supporters, IRNA reported.