Iran

Iran slams sanctions against NAM member states

shamseddin20130927152659353Iran president has criticized the imposition of sanctions by certain world powers against the member states of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), urging the movement to resist such unilateral measures.

“States are strongly urged to refrain from propagating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures contrary to international law and the United Nations Charter that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the NAM.

The Iranian president was addressing the opening of the movement’s Ministerial Meeting on Cooperation for the Rule of Law at the International Level, held at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday.

Rouhani called for creative ways to prevent the misuse of the mechanism of the Security Council by some permanent members to impose illegal sanctions against the NAM member states.

He urged the 120-member body, whose members form two thirds of the UN General Assembly, to attempt to reform the mechanism of international relations and resist politically motivated restrictions imposed by some veto-wielding powers.

In his opening address, Rouhani also touched on the issue of Palestine and called for assistance to counter the plight of the Palestinians living under the “cruel and inhumane” occupation of their territories.

He hailed the promotion of Palestine’s status at the UN from “non-member observer entity” to “non-member observer state” last November, urging NAM support for Palestinian efforts to earn full membership of the world body.

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