Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Gulf prevailed Tuesday on the discussions of a UN Security Council high-level debate amid sharp divisions between its members on the way the international community should deal with Tehran.
The US insisted that the Security Council muster the courage to hold Iran accountable to its existing international obligations, saying that Iran is neither abiding by the letter nor spirit of this Council’s decisions.
Instead, Russia proposed creating a Gulf Security construct to promote stability in the region.
The session, presided over by Russia in the format of a videoconference, began with a statement delivered by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called on reflecting more deeply on how the international community, particularly the SC, can work in unison to promote peace and security in this vital part of the world.
“I remain extremely concerned about the situation in Yemen, a local conflict that has become regionalized over time,” he said.
Guterres said he appealed for an immediate global ceasefire to focus on the one true fight: the battle against COVID-19.
He called for establishing a platform similar to Helsinki, starting with a number of confidence-building measures.
“The experience of the Cold War shows that -independent of confrontations and the deep divisions of the time- it was possible to launch the Helsinki process,” the UN Secretary-General said.
Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, said the Gulf region is essential to international peace and stability but is experiencing turmoil due to Iran’s approach of violence and destabilization, including the use of drones and missiles.
Turning to the issue of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands, he urged Iran to respond to the GCC’s call to resolve the dispute through negotiations.
Calling upon Iran to comply with such principles as good neighborliness and non-use of force, he said “the ball is in the Iranians’ court.’
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister admitted “the multiplicity of conflicts and threats in the Gulf,” called the SC to keep the region a constant focus.
He said the Russian Federation had proposed the development of a mechanism for collective security for the region, adding that modalities must be determined through dialogue.
Also during the session, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Gulf region remains a focal point for the world’s attention and requires a serious examination of the root causes of its tensions.
He called for adherence to the Charter of the UN and international norms, including full respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
US Ambassador Kelly Craft said the Abraham Accords underscore President Donald Trump’s vision for peace and what has long been the reality on the ground in the Middle East: that the United States is at the forefront of efforts to address ongoing conflicts in the region and promote peace.”
She said the United States recognizes that Iran is the single greatest threat to peace and security in the Middle East.
In Syria, Craft said Iranian forces must withdraw from Syria for there to be lasting peace while in Lebanon, she said this Council must do more to address both the incomplete implementation of Resolutions 1559 and 1701, and Hezbollah’s illicit activities.
