Iran's UN envoy highlights commitment to combating extremism & supporting Afghanistan at SC meeting

Iran's ambassador to the UN Amir Saeed Iravani emphasized Tehran's dedication to combating extremism, terrorism, and underdevelopment in Afghanistan during a speech at the UN Security Council.

Iravani highlighted several key points, underscoring the severe economic and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, with 23.7 million Afghans needing assistance in 2024, yet only 16.2% of the required $3.06 billion had been raised by mid-May, Mehr news agency reports.

He noted that "this instability affects neighboring countries," stressing the importance of regional and international cooperation.

Iran has kept its borders open to Afghan refugees and hosts over six million Afghans, incurring an annual cost of $10 billion despite sanctions. Iran also educates 700,000 Afghan students. Iravani highlighted that "Iran remains committed to supporting Afghanistan," and continues economic projects like Chabahar port and railways to boost the Afghan economy.

Addressing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, Iravani called for increased international support, stating, "Iran seized more than one thousand tons of Afghan narcotics in the past year," with significant sacrifices from Iranian law enforcement agencies. He stressed that "Iran cannot manage the influx of Afghan refugees and drugs alone".

On terrorism concerns, he said Iran is concerned about terrorist threats from Afghanistan, doubting the de facto authorities' ability to combat them. Continuous international engagement is deemed crucial for regional stability. Iran participates in regional initiatives and supports Pakistan's ministerial meetings and the Moscow format to foster dialogue, he added.

As for the UN and international community's role, the ambassador said Iran supports the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and urges the international community to provide "swift, sufficient, and continuous support" to host countries. Iravani emphasized that humanitarian aid must remain "impartial and unconditional," urging the return of frozen assets and the lifting of sanctions to aid economic revitalization.

Iravani concluded by urging Western countries to honor their commitments to Afghanistan's reconstruction and fight against terrorism, highlighting that politicization of aid harms the Afghan people.