Remarks by US secretary of state Rex Tillerson against UN Charter: Iran’s UN envoy Gholam Ali Khoshroo

Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations Gholam Ali Khoshroo

Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations says US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent anti-Tehran remarks are in violation of international laws and norms and against the Charter of the United Nations.

Gholam-Ali Khoshrou made the remarks on Sunday in a letter of condemnation to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Tillerson told the House Foreign Relations Committee on June 14 that the Iranian government “continues activities and interventions that destabilize the Middle East.” He added that Washington’s policy towards Iran was based on supporting internal forces who could bring about peaceful change.

“Our policy towards Iran is to push back on this hegemony, contain their ability to develop obviously nuclear weapons, and to work toward support of those elements inside of Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of that government. Those elements are there, certainly as we know,” he said.

In his letter, Khoshrou stressed that Tillerson’s remarks were a flagrant violation of the international legislation that directly apposed the UN’s Charter, which mandates countries from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.   

“Tehran expects all governments to condemn such absurd and inappropriate policies, and to call on the US to act responsibly in accordance with the UN’s charter and international law,”  Khoshrou said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson testifies during a State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee hearing on the State Department's FY2018 Budget on Capitol Hill on June 13, 2017 in Washington. (Photo by AFP)

Earlier in the day, Iran summoned the Swiss charge d’affaires in Tehran to protest the "meddlesome" remarks by Tillerson.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi stressed that Tillerson’s remarks were against the principles of international law and the international commitments of the US administration, including the United Nations Charter.

On Sunday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that all efforts made by the US to change the Iranian government have ended up in failure over the past decades.