On Yemen, Iran Writes UN To Deny Transferring Missiles to Houthis After UNSC Press Statement, $930M Check
By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos, Periscope
UNITED NATIONS, March 29 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lavished praised on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 27, with not a word of the Saudi led bombing campaign that has killed civilians and caused cholera in Yemen. The occasion was Guterres accepting a $930 million check for the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan. Now on March 29, the day after the UN Security Council Press Statement below, Iran's mission to the UN had written to the outgoing Dutch president of the Security Council, and Antonio Guterres, beginning: "Upon instruction from my Government and with reference to the letter dated 26 March 2018 (S/2018/266) from the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, and pursuant to my letter dated 22 January 2018 regarding missile launches during Saudi’s military aggression against Yemen, while the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects those baseless allegations contained in this letter, I have the honor to draw your attention to the following: The Islamic Republic of Iran has never transferred or smuggled missiles, arms and military equipment to Yemen in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231. Iran strongly opposes all biased and false claims in this regard. As Yemen is under total blockade by the Saudi-led Coalition, the possibility of smuggling ballistic missiles is an unfounded and imaginary claim." And here's the UNSC Press Statement: "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the multiple Houthi missile attacks, including the use of ballistic missiles, targeting several cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its capital Riyadh, on 25 March 2018, which threatened civilian areas and resulted in at least one fatality. The members of the Security Council underlined that such attacks pose a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a wider threat to regional security. The members of the Council also expressed alarm at the stated intention of the Houthis to continue these attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as to launch additional attacks against other states in the region.
The members of the Security Council called on all Member States to fully implement all aspects of the arms embargo as required by the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015) and in that regard expressed their grave concern at the reports of continuing violations of the arms embargo.
The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians and called on all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.
The members of the Security Council expressed grave distress at the level of violence in Yemen. The members of the Security Council called upon all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the need for all parties to return to dialogue as the only means of delivering a negotiated political settlement and engage constructively with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, with a view towards swiftly reaching a final and comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis." Given that on March 27 Guterres did not mention the bombing or the Children and Armed Conflict list that the Saudi led Coalition is still (barely) on, Inner City Press on March 28 asked Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: meeting and ceremony yesterday with the Saudi Crown Prince. Although it's reported that he was, you know… the Secretary-General was pushing for a
Original Title
On Yemen, Iran Writes UN To Deny Transferring Missiles to Houthis After UNSC Press Statement, $930M Check from MBS
On Yemen, Iran Writes UN To Deny Transferring Missiles to Houthis After UNSC Press Statement, $930M Check
By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos, Periscope
UNITED NATIONS, March 29 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lavished praised on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 27, with not a word of the Saudi led bombing campaign that has killed civilians and caused cholera in Yemen. The occasion was Guterres accepting a $930 million check for the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan. Now on March 29, the day after the UN Security Council Press Statement below, Iran's mission to the UN had written to the outgoing Dutch president of the Security Council, and Antonio Guterres, beginning: "Upon instruction from my Government and with reference to the letter dated 26 March 2018 (S/2018/266) from the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, and pursuant to my letter dated 22 January 2018 regarding missile launches during Saudi’s military aggression against Yemen, while the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects those baseless allegations contained in this letter, I have the honor to draw your attention to the following: The Islamic Republic of Iran has never transferred or smuggled missiles, arms and military equipment to Yemen in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231. Iran strongly opposes all biased and false claims in this regard. As Yemen is under total blockade by the Saudi-led Coalition, the possibility of smuggling ballistic missiles is an unfounded and imaginary claim." And here's the UNSC Press Statement: "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the multiple Houthi missile attacks, including the use of ballistic missiles, targeting several cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its capital Riyadh, on 25 March 2018, which threatened civilian areas and resulted in at least one fatality. The members of the Security Council underlined that such attacks pose a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a wider threat to regional security. The members of the Council also expressed alarm at the stated intention of the Houthis to continue these attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as to launch additional attacks against other states in the region.
The members of the Security Council called on all Member States to fully implement all aspects of the arms embargo as required by the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015) and in that regard expressed their grave concern at the reports of continuing violations of the arms embargo.
The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians and called on all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.
The members of the Security Council expressed grave distress at the level of violence in Yemen. The members of the Security Council called upon all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the need for all parties to return to dialogue as the only means of delivering a negotiated political settlement and engage constructively with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, with a view towards swiftly reaching a final and comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis." Given that on March 27 Guterres did not mention the bombing or the Children and Armed Conflict list that the Saudi led Coalition is still (barely) on, Inner City Press on March 28 asked Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: meeting and ceremony yesterday with the Saudi Crown Prince. Although it's reported that he was, you know… the Secretary-General was pushing for a
On Yemen, Iran Writes UN To Deny Transferring Missiles to Houthis After UNSC Press Statement, $930M Check
By Matthew Russell Lee, Photos, Periscope
UNITED NATIONS, March 29 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lavished praised on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on March 27, with not a word of the Saudi led bombing campaign that has killed civilians and caused cholera in Yemen. The occasion was Guterres accepting a $930 million check for the 2018 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan. Now on March 29, the day after the UN Security Council Press Statement below, Iran's mission to the UN had written to the outgoing Dutch president of the Security Council, and Antonio Guterres, beginning: "Upon instruction from my Government and with reference to the letter dated 26 March 2018 (S/2018/266) from the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations, and pursuant to my letter dated 22 January 2018 regarding missile launches during Saudi’s military aggression against Yemen, while the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects those baseless allegations contained in this letter, I have the honor to draw your attention to the following: The Islamic Republic of Iran has never transferred or smuggled missiles, arms and military equipment to Yemen in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231. Iran strongly opposes all biased and false claims in this regard. As Yemen is under total blockade by the Saudi-led Coalition, the possibility of smuggling ballistic missiles is an unfounded and imaginary claim." And here's the UNSC Press Statement: "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the multiple Houthi missile attacks, including the use of ballistic missiles, targeting several cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including its capital Riyadh, on 25 March 2018, which threatened civilian areas and resulted in at least one fatality. The members of the Security Council underlined that such attacks pose a serious national security threat to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as a wider threat to regional security. The members of the Council also expressed alarm at the stated intention of the Houthis to continue these attacks against Saudi Arabia, as well as to launch additional attacks against other states in the region.
The members of the Security Council called on all Member States to fully implement all aspects of the arms embargo as required by the relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015) and in that regard expressed their grave concern at the reports of continuing violations of the arms embargo.
The members of the Security Council expressed their grave concern at the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the devastating humanitarian impact of the conflict on civilians and called on all parties to the conflict to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.
The members of the Security Council expressed grave distress at the level of violence in Yemen. The members of the Security Council called upon all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the need for all parties to return to dialogue as the only means of delivering a negotiated political settlement and engage constructively with the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, with a view towards swiftly reaching a final and comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis." Given that on March 27 Guterres did not mention the bombing or the Children and Armed Conflict list that the Saudi led Coalition is still (barely) on, Inner City Press on March 28 asked Guterres' spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: meeting and ceremony yesterday with the Saudi Crown Prince. Although it's reported that he was, you know… the Secretary-General was pushing for a
WY Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
6622 Third Ave New York, NY 10017 www.ran-UN.org Tol:e1(212)687-2020. Fax1(212)867-7086 E-maiPR-ran@un int
In the name of God, the most Compassionate, the most Mereiful
No, 101407 29 March 2018
Excellency,
Upon instruction from my Government and with reference to the letter dated 26 March
2018 ($/2018/266) from the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the
United Nations, and pursuant to my letter dated 22 January 2018 regarding missile launches
during Saudi’s military aggression against Yemen, while the Islamic Republic of Iran
categorically rejects those baseless allegations contained in this letter, I have the honor to draw
your attention to the following:
The Islamic Republic of Iran has never transferred or smuggled missiles, arms and
military equipment to Yemen in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions 2216 and 2231
Iran strongly opposes all biased and false claims in this regard. As Yemen is under total blockade
by the Saudi-led Coalition, the possibility of smuggling ballistic missiles is an unfounded and
imaginary claim. Accusing Iran of providing or smuggling missiles to one of the parties to the
conflict in Yemen is nothing but an attempt to conceal the brutal and unlawful aggression in
Yemen and the extremely appalling situation caused by such aggression, including the
indiscriminate targeting of civilians and humanitarian blockade that continues to impose the
intolerable suffering of the Yemeni people. In my letter dated 21 February 2018 (S/2018/145)
addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, I have explained
the serious flaws regarding the authenticity and credibility of such claims.
Ithas been the usual practice by the Saudi regime, as the main party responsible for such
a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Yemen, to cover up their reprehensible crimes by
introducing false charges against other countries or attempt to spread the crisis beyond Yemen's
borders in order to divert attention from the root cause of the Yemeni crisis, i.e. the military
aggression by Saudi Arabia. The usual scenario for the political and military authorities of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been to repeat their unfounded assumptions and allegations
followed by the threat to use of force against a United Nations member state in clear defiance of
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. The last case was the unlawful statement by coalition spokesman
Turki Al-Malki on 26 March 2018.
Iran strongly urges the Saudi regime to immediately put an end to its destabilizing
policies in the region, including its military intervention as well as its starvation campaign in
‘Yemen, and continues to call on all parties in Yemen to pursue diplomatic ways and means to
resolve the conflict.
The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the military aggression of Saudi Arabia in Yemen
as the main underlying reason for the escalation of the crisis and the creation of the current
disastrous situation in that country, Numerous reports by the United Nations and other relevantwy
@W Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
York, NY 10017 wwww.tan-UN.org Tel:+1(212)687-2020 Fax:+1(212)867-7086 E-maliPR-
n@unint
bodies and institutions have so far documented the crimes committed by the Saudi-led coalition
against Yemeni civilians, as well as many incidences of engagement by the Coalition in violating
international law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The implementation of Security Council resolution 2216 shall not be interpreted in a way
that creates commitment only for one party and leaves the other party open-handed in terms of
the disastrous humanitarian situation created as the result of aggression. The Security Council
has confined its role to calling all parties to comply with international humanitarian law; there
has never been any independent authority to secure humanitarian access in Yemen.
At the same time, it is tragic that the three Permanent Members of the Security Council
who stoke smuggling allegations against Iran in tandem with the Saudi regime are the ones who
are selling billions of dollars of deadly, advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia that are regularly
used against civilians and civilian targets in Yemen.
It is imperative for the intemational community to stand up against these tired,
misleading accusations of the Saudi regime against others and hold Saudi regime leaders
accountable for their criminal acts wherein intervening can effectively end the senseless aerial
attacks, stop the selling of arms to Saudi, establish a ceasefire, ensure the delivery of
and
restore peace and stability in this country through Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue on national
reconciliation without preconditions.
humanitarian and medical assistance to the people of Yemen without any discrimination,
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as a document of the
Security Council
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Kho sl—
Gholamali Khoshroo
‘Ambassador
Permanent Representative
HE. Mr, Antonio Guterres
Secretary-General
United Nations, New York
HE. Mr. Karel Jan Gustaf van Oosterom
President of the Security Council
United Nations, New York