Iran to do anything to recover its illegally seized assets: UN envoy

The Iranian Government is committed to use all possible means at its disposal, including recourse to the International Court of Justice to recover its properties seized by the United States, Gholamali Khoshroo said addressing a UN General Assembly meeting on the fifth biannual review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy on Thursday.

Khoshroo condemned the recent terrorist actions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Turkey and Saudi Arabia and called for international and regional planned efforts to root terrorism.

'Terrorism is a multi-dimensional issue and it can only be defeated if a comprehensive plan in place is implemented by various relevant stakeholder in a coordinated manner,' Iran UN ambassador said.

'There should also be certain level of cooperation among all actors genuinely committed to fight terrorism particularly at the regional level,' he said.

Khoshroo said that 'the strategy provides such common platform for cooperation.'

Referring to the Plan of Action presented by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he said that it is also in response to the request made through “the World against Violence and Violent Extremism” or “WAVE” resolution initially proposed by President Hassan Rouhani.

'President Rouhani initiated this idea while foreseeing the process of radicalization of extremist elements in the region and beyond, leading to more violence and terrorism,' he said.

He described violent extremism as the most critical challenge that the world is currently facing.

'It is evident that the Takfiri ideology, which has nothing to do with Islam, lies at very core of the predicament of our time.'

'The international community needs, first and foremost, to focus on this vicious ideology that seeks to instill hatred and anger in the hearts and minds of the youth everywhere in the world.'

Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are the first so-called “achievement” of extremist ideology, and ISIS and al-Nusra and its affiliates are the latest, Khoshroo added.

The Iranian official called for the united action against terrorism based on the international agreements.

'We are of the view that countering terrorism should be done in full conformity with the United Nations Charter, international law, international human rights and humanitarian law,' he said.

Iran ambassador to the world body also warned against the use of force in addressing the issue of terrorism.

'Use of force in combating terrorism by outside forces without the explicit consent of the state concerned would constitute a flagrant violation of the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which in its turn would endanger rule of law at the international level,' Khoshroo said.

'We strongly reject the unilateral preparation of lists accusing other States of so-called “sponsoring terrorism” and any consequences thereof, which is inconsistent with international law and is merely exploited as a political tool to advance other agendas and political goals of enlisting governments.'

'Such unilateral acts including through misusing of judicial means, would not only violate certain principles of international law but also undermine urgently required joint efforts by all States to counter terrorism.'

Referring to the United States acts to sabotage a safe return of Iran to the world scene, following the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of action, Khoshroo described the US seizure of Iranian properties as a means to put pressure on the Islamic Republic.

'The recent political decision of the US courts to seize properties of the Central Bank of Iran is a clear example of abusing banking and financial networks for fake and unsubstantiated claims to pressure our nation,' he said.

He also said that the legitimate struggle of peoples under occupation or alien domination do not amount to acts of terrorism.

'Iran opposes any attempt to equate the legitimate struggle of peoples under colonial or alien domination and foreign occupation, for self-determination and national liberation, with terrorism,' he said.

'Such equation is aimed at prolonging occupation of the territories and oppression of their people.'

'The use of State power for suppression and violence against peoples struggling in opposition to foreign occupation and in exercising their inalienable right to self-determination should continue to be condemned.'

Iran's permanent representative to the UN also rejected accusations made by representative of the Israeli regime, and said the regime itself is built on the basis of intimidation, terror and occupation.

'This regime is well known as the single most significant practitioner of 'state terrorism' responsible for many terrorist acts,' he said.

'Its atrocities against Palestinian people over so many decades have fueled extremism and other crises in our region and beyond,' Khoshroo added.

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