Statement by H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI before the Plenary of the Conference on Disarmament

Geneva 10 March 2026

Statement

by 

H.E. Mr. Ali BAHREINI

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva

before

The Plenary of the Conference on Disarmament

Geneva, 10 March 2026,

 

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

 

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and also for giving me the floor.

Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates,

On 28 February, the regime of the United States of America and the Israeli regime -two nuclear-armed aggressors- committed an unprovoked and unlawful act of aggression against the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and people of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such cowardly attacks resulted in the martyrdom of Iran’s distinguished national and religious supreme leader. Through this unlawful and reprehensible action, the regime of the United States and the Israeli regime crossed yet another red line.

The criminal acts perpetrated by the regimes of the United States and Israel constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including Articles 2(4) and 2(3) of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the peremptory norm prohibiting the use of force. Such aggression poses a grave threat to international and regional peace and security and undermines the very foundations of the international legal order.

The Israeli regime has dragged the United States and the Middle East region into a full-scale war. Through aggression and warfare, this regime has sought to impose itself upon the region. In pursuit of its expansionist ambitions, it relies on continued war and bloodshed. It is deeply regrettable that the United States continues to follow the expansionist agenda of the Israeli regime to the extent that decisions affecting Washington seem increasingly dictated by policies formulated in Israel.

In their attacks, the regime of the United States and the Israeli regime have deliberately targeted civilians, civilian objects, and critical civilian infrastructure with the apparent aim of spreading terror among the civilian population. Such acts constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

As a consequence of indiscriminate and criminal attacks against civilians and civilian objects, a large number of innocent individuals—including women and children—have lost their lives. To date, 65 schools and dozens of health and medical facilities have come under attack. As a result of these attacks, more than 1,300 civilians have lost their lives, and 32 medical and pharmaceutical facilities have been damaged. In one particularly egregious incident, an attack on an elementary school in the city of Minab has so far claimed the lives of 186 innocent children and injured many others.

These unlawful and reckless attacks were launched at a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran had responded constructively to calls by the international community to address concerns regarding its peaceful nuclear programme. Despite previous experiences of United States misconduct, Iran engaged in negotiations with the United States in good faith, with vigilance and a clear commitment to achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. Iran entered into dialogue fully aware of hostile intentions, yet determined to demonstrate the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear activities, to reaffirm that it has never sought nuclear weapons, and to remove any pretext for unlawful aggression.

The regime of the United States, by unilateral and unlawful withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, coupled with its attack on Iran at a time when negotiations were ongoing to reach a peaceful solution, clearly demonstrated that the issue of Iran’s nuclear activities is nothing more than a pretext for continuing its hostile policies against Iran.

Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates,

We had repeatedly warned—including in this very body—about the consequences of warmongering against Iran. We also made it unequivocally clear that we would not hesitate, even for a moment, to exercise our inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and in accordance with international law. We further warned that any act of aggression against Iran would entail consequences extending beyond Iran’s borders and sovereign limits. Iran harbors no hostility toward its neighboring countries and fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighboring states. However, in exercising its legitimate right of self-defence, all bases, assets, and interests of the United States in the region that have been used to carry out aggression against Iran constitute legitimate targets for response within the framework of international law. We firmly reject any allegations claiming that Iran has carried out attacks against civilian targets or facilities. We also warn against any false-flagged or staged operations carried out by agents of Mossad and the CIA to drag the states of the region into this war.

What the Islamic Republic of Iran is undertaking is nothing but the legitimate defence of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its citizens, in full accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. No state can reasonably be expected to remain passive while being attacked from foreign military bases in its region.

The choice of the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been diplomacy and negotiation. We engaged in negotiations with the United States on two separate occasions, and each time we were met with military aggression while the talks were ongoing. Under such circumstances, and at a time when yet another war has been imposed upon us, the international community should not expect restraint from Iran. Rather, it must clearly condemn the regime of the United States and the Israeli regime as aggressors and demand an immediate end to their acts of aggression. The party that must end the war is the one that initiated it, not the party that is defending itself. Responsibility for the current situation in the region and its potential global consequences rests squarely with those who initiated and imposed this war on Iran and the region.

Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues,

To conclude, we reaffirm our commitment to lasting and sustainable peace. War, as the regime of the United States and the Israeli regime have demonstrated, can be initiated unilaterally; however, peace is not something that can be established by one party alone. When war is imposed on us, we are fully prepared to defend ourselves resolutely and over the long term.

Countries in the region should be fully aware that the priority of the United States remains the Israeli regime, and that the presence of U.S. military bases does not bring security to the region. Making their territory available to aggressors for launching attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran is by no means acceptable to us and constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the principles of good neighborliness.

As long as these bases remain on the territory of these countries and are used to facilitate continued aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we will resolutely exercise our inherent right of self-defense in accordance with international law, including Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly Resolution 3314.

To bring an end to the current situation and to restore peace and security in the region, peace-loving and responsible members of the international community must break their silence and unequivocally condemn the crimes committed by the regime of the United States and the Israeli regime.

The regime of the United States, the Israeli regime, and their supporters must be compelled to cease their aggression and hostilities against Iran, to respect Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to provide the Iranian nation with full reparation.

Silence and indifference in the face of unilateralism, aggression, and repeated violations of international law and the Charter of the United Nations will only embolden further violations and ultimately threaten all nations. Remaining silent in the face of such crimes is scarcely distinguishable from complicity.

Thank you.

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