Raisi Meets Guterres: UN Should Be Organization of Nations, Not Powers

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi told United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres that the world body should be the true meaning of the organization of nations, not the organization of big powers.

Raisi made the remarks in a meeting with Guterres on Thursday on the sidelines of the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Referring to the current crises in some countries of the region, he considered the solution to all of them to be the formation of national dialogues without foreign interference and underlined the necessity that the United Nations play a more serious role against unilateralist behaviors.

Raisi called the Islamic Republic a friend in difficult times for its neighbors and referred to its humanitarian actions in providing shelter to Afghan immigrants and also serious fight against terrorism.

On the other hand, he noted, “The result of [the presence of] NATO and America in our region has been war, destruction, occupation, and murder."

Emphasizing Iran's support for regional dialogues to resolve issues between countries, Raisi called on the UN chief to implement justice.    

Guterres, for his part, appreciated the continuous actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in providing shelter to Afghan refugees and termed Iran's role in the Yemeni ceasefire as praiseworthy.

"The US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement was an unconstructive and very disappointing act," he added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Guterres considered Iran's initiative to create a framework for regional dialogues as constructive and supported by the United Nations.

Affirming the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the issue of human rights, the UN chief said human rights should not be used as a tool of war against countries.

As he expressed his dissatisfaction with the non-suspension of sanctions against Iran despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Guterres said that Iran has an old civilization and is an indispensable and undeniable part of today's world, and the considerations of the Islamic Republic of solving the problems of Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Afghanistan by their people are sound and reasonable.