*************** Statement by  Mr. Mohammad Hossein SAYYADNEJAD Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva  before  Third Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on PAROS in all its Aspects under  Item 6. (C)(ii): Measures related to intentional damage to and destruction of space systems, including intentional destruction of any on-orbit spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages determined to be necessary Geneva, July 6, 2026 **** بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم Thank you, Chair. Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your re-election as Chair of the Working Group, and to commend your efforts in leading the Working Group towards the fulfilment of its mandate, Prevention of an arms race in outer space. Let us also join previous speakers and take this opportunity to express our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the people and government of Venezuela over the tragic earthquake and the loss of life and suffering it has caused. Chair, as almost every aspect of human life becomes increasingly reliant on space-based technologies and applications, ensuring safe, secure and sustainable access to these services has become a matter of critical importance for all space actors and stakeholders, whether spacefaring or non-spacefaring nations. Against this backdrop, we believe that the most serious threat to the peaceful and sustainable outer space is its weaponization and its transformation into an arena for military confrontation. A clear manifestation of this threat is reflected in the plans and programmes of certain States aimed at the placement of weapons in outer space. From our perspective, the threats and risks in Outer Space are rooted in the absence of a clear and legally binding international framework. In this regard, discussions under this agenda item should not be confined to questions of behaviour alone, and addressing behaviours cannot substitute for a legally binding instrument that would guarantee an outer space free from weapons and threats. Space security and safety must not be defined solely from the perspective of technologically advanced countries. Developing countries are equally entitled to equal security and safety in their peaceful use of outer space, and measures in this field should not restrict access to outer space or undermine the legitimate right of States to its peaceful use. In this regard, it is also essential to abandon exclusive approaches and to promote genuine international cooperation, with the meaningful participation of developing countries, in addressing and managing threats. Mr. Chair, While examining measures to mitigate and manage threats is necessary, such measures must remain subordinate to the primary objective of preventing an arms race in outer space and advancing negotiations on a legally binding treaty. They should not be reduced to a set of political and non-binding norms. Approaches based on norms, principles of so-called responsible behaviour, or threat reduction measures may appear attractive at first glance. However, they remain inherently ambiguous, politically subjective, and open to divergent interpretations. Rather than facilitating legal consensus, they risk generating political disputes and may divert the international community from the objective of preventing an arms race in outer space. The increasing role of non-governmental actors in the provision of space services, in the absence of effective oversight and accountability by their respective States, may contribute to intentional damage or interference with space systems. With regard to damage to space systems, concerns should not be solely confined to the destruction of space systems on orbit. Equal attention must be given to preventing intentional damage to the infrastructure that enables the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. Intentional attacks against space infrastructure, whether in orbit or on the ground, including facilities used for research, production, launch, operation, and monitoring and control of space activities, undermine the safety, security, and sustainability of outer space activities, and risk exacerbating tensions and confrontation. Such attacks are a clear violation of international law, including the article 2(4) of Charter of the United Nations and the Outer Space Treaty (OST), undermine the legitimate right of States to access and utilize outer space for peaceful purposes, and place the sustainability of outer space activities at serious risk. Recent developments clearly demonstrate that vague, non-legally-binding concepts such as so-called “responsible behaviour” have neither prevented unlawful acts nor provided an effective framework to address them. The Islamic Republic of Iran therefore believes that the sustainable solution lies in the immediate commencement of negotiations within the Conference on Disarmament on a comprehensive, non-discriminatory, and legally binding international instrument aimed at preventing an arms race in outer space, prohibiting the placement of weapons in outer space, and banning the threat or use of force against space objects, space systems, and related infrastructure. To conclude, Chair, the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the recent military attacks carried out by the Israeli regime and the regime of the United States against infrastructures supporting its peaceful space activities, which are used for the development and peaceful application of space services. These unlawful attacks have demonstrated that previously hypothetical concerns about the threats to peaceful space activities are no longer hypothetical, and they have become a reality. Such developments further underscore the urgent need for the international community to unequivocally condemn such attacks, move beyond selective and non-binding approaches, and to negotiate a legally binding instrument to safeguard the peaceful use of outer space and prevent its weaponization. Thank you. ---