17 October 2023   (Delivered by HE Dr Bagheri, the Honourable Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs)   In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Compassionate   Dear Audience, Distinguished Resident Ambassadors and Heads of Diplomatic Missions to the Islamic Republic of Iran; Directors of the Offices of the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Tehran; Ladies and Gentlemen;   I thank you for having accepted the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran to attend this meeting. Exchange and dialogue among the diplomatic community are always useful and essential, even more so during critical and tension-laden junctures in time. We have all defined our professional mission as serving the national interests of our respective countries. At the same time, we are aware that the national interests of our countries rely on the existence of peace, stability and security not only in our periphery but also in different parts of the world; for the world of politics and international relations submits to the rule of communicating vessels, that is, insecurity and instability in one environment instantaneously affects the surrounding environments, especially if crisis should break out in an important and axial region like West Asia. On the other hand, as the essence of our nations, we cannot remain indifferent to the heinous atrocities that prick the conscience of the international community and which should give way to the deepening and intensification of crises. The situation that prevails in occupied Palestine today is both a clear example of regional and international de-securitisation, and a clear manifestation of war crimes and genocide. The issue of Palestine, that is the 7-decade long occupation of the land of an ancient people, the displacement of the majority of its native inhabitants, and the suppression and humiliation of the population still living in Gaza and the West Bank, is not a Palestinian-Israeli issue, nor is it an Arab-Israeli issue or even a Muslim-Israeli issue. The issue of Palestine is one of humanity and the entire international community, and therefore, all states and each and every person bears a responsibility for putting an end into this inhumane and shameful situation. I would like to openly share a few points respecting the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Palestinian issue and our understanding thereof, as also express our position regarding the ongoing developments which ensued the defensive operation of the Palestinian Resistance against the Israeli occupation:  What is happening in the occupied Palestine, and especially in Gaza, constitutes a source of deep concern, regret and shame for the human kind. The atrocities that are taking place are double injustice to a nation that has already been subjected to brutal occupation for 75 long years and has been deprived of all human rights and human dignity; No conscientious soul and no responsible government may remain indifferent to the heinous atrocities that are being perpetrated and the very dangerous effects and consequences that this situation may carry on to regional and global peace and security. For more than 7 decades now, a proud people has been deprived of its right to self-determination and other fundamental human rights while its land and home have been under occupation. During these 7 decades, without the slightest regard for the laws and norms of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights, and with the full backing and support of the United States of America, which has immunised the regime against any form of accountability and punishment, the occupying Zionist regime has committed the most heinous of war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of genocide against the oppressed people of Palestine. The continuous usurpation of the lands of the original inhabitants of that region and the expansion of Zionist settlements, massacre, destruction of people's houses and farms and environmental damage, arrest and torture of men and women and even children, humiliation and insult to the dignity of the Palestinian nation, repeated desecration of holy premises of Islam, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, are but only a part of the atrocities committed by the occupying regime against the Palestinian people. The unconditional support of the collective West, especially the United States of America, to the occupying regime and the deplorable disregard for the occupation's aggression against the Palestinian people are among the main factors that feed into the regime's brazen audacity to continue its aggression and flagrant violations of international law.  The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran on supporting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination is clear and principled. Our position is a humanitarian-moral position premised on the rules of international law and the United Nations Charter. The right to self-determination and respect for the fundamental rights of people under occupation are rudimentary rules of international law, which are explicitly recognised in the United Nations Charter and which constitute one of the established foundations of modern international law and relations.  The right of self-defence and strive for serving and restoring the right to self-determination are interdependent. The resistance of the Palestinian people in the face of occupation, the gross and continual violation of their human rights, and the desecration of the sanctities of the Muslim world by the occupying regime amount, in the true sense of the word, to their ‘legitimate and lawful defence’ against oppression and aggression. The right to legitimate defence is an inherent right that is clearly recognised in the United Nations Charter and in international law. The Palestinian nation, as a nation that has been unjustly deprived of the fundamental right to determine its own destiny and a nation which is exposed to attacks and violations of human rights and human dignity at every moment, does undoubtedly have the right to defend itself and resist occupation and aggression. This is a right to exercise which the Palestinian nation is needless of obtainin permission or order from any other party; rather, in full independence and maturity, a product of 8 decades of struggle and endurance of the direst of hardships, the Palestinian people will decide, as they have thus far decided, about the when, where, and how of their defensive as they see fit. Misleading projections do not change the fact that Al-Aqsa Storm operation symbolised the spontaneous and natural movement of the Palestinian people to defend their inherent rights and human dignity and was an inevitable reaction to the occupation's endless cruelty and aggression levelled against the innocent people of Palestine.  The crimes being committed by the occupying regime against the Palestinian people can by no means be justified. Attempting to justify Israel's crimes under the principle of self-defence is utterly rejected, be it from an international legal lense or from an ethical perspective. The principle of ‘self-defence’ cannot be legally invoked in the framework of the equation between the occupying party and the people under occupation. According to international law, the occupying party has specific duties to protect and support the people under occupation; hence, it cannot be that they commit to mass killings of the people and destruction of their property.  Resistance is the self-motivated and independent movement of nations to defend human dignity and the boundaries of their lands against encroachment, occupation, and invasion. Just as the Palestinian Resistance has sought authorisation from anyone to defend itself and design and implement its defensive, other components of the resistance too will decide as per circumstances. One cannot allow the occupying party with all its evil might and all-out support of the West to go uncontested as it tries to change the demographics of Palestine and to commit genocide and put others before a fait accompli, while, at the same time, expecting others to be mere spectators and ignore such atrocities. The Muslim people of the region and the free-spirited people of the world shall not tolerate that. The occupying regime has shown that its survival depends on the perpetuity of insecurity and its expansion. Restraint and responsible behaviour and compliance with the rules and principles of international law cannot be expected of such an entity; nevertheless, its supporters are expected to fulfil their responsibilities and contain the regime. As an absolute supporter of the regime, one may not unquestioningly approve of the regime's actions or acquiesce in them and expect no action in self-defence from others in return. The supporters of the regime are actually spurring this regime to carry on committing atrocities and encouraging it to spread insecurity. Therefore, they need reconsider their approach soonest possible.  No responsible actor welcomes instability and insecurity in the region. Our and regional countries’ logical expectation is for the supporters of the Zionist regime to prevent the regime from carrying on its atrocities sooner rather than later. This is the only possible solution to avert the extension and contagion of crises to the wider region and beyond.   Dear Colleagues; Resident Ambassadors in Tehran; Representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations; The Islamic Republic of Iran is aware of its responsibilities towards international peace and security and, at the same time, it will adhere to its fundamental and legitimate issue of supporting the legal and human right of the Palestinian people to defend and resist occupation and aggression until the realization of their right to self-determination. I strongly and once again remind the supporters of the occupying side of their responsibility to rein in the Zionist regime and stop its criminal acts, including its attempted genocide of the Palestinians and creating major demographic changes in the features of the occupied Palestine and the region, and further restate that the basis according to which the Resistance makes its decisions will be the other party’s actions. Undoubtedly, this juncture in time, with all its sufferings and bitterness for the oppressed Palestinian nation, shall too pass. The actions and reactions of individual states and international organisations in relation to this crisis and the position they adopt regarding this unequal battle between the oppressed and the oppressor will be recorded in history. I hope that we can make the right decisions in all clarity and fairness to defend humanity and the oppressed side, and against oppression and aggression, so that future generations can proudly say that our predecessors stood on the right side of history. I am sorry that certain countries have consciously chosen the cause of supporting the occupier and oppressor and turned their backs on all their mottos and claims about the originality of human rights. Surely enough, all states will learn a lesson from this double standard. Unfortunately, we are still in a stage of expansion and deterioration of the situation and there is no determination or will to prevent the killing and bombing of the Palestinian people and avert a disaster with global dimensions. The Zionist regime is still committing massacres and genocide in Gaza, and with the occupation's entry into Gaza, developments will enter a decisive and irreversible stage. Prevention of this situation should be the priority of the world community. The silence and inaction of the international community against the "madness" of the Zionist regime will leave destructive and regrettable results. The regime's irresponsible and destructive behaviour in dealing with the Palestinian nation has enraged the Resistance Movement and nations and no mechanism can afford to disrupt the decisions of the Resistance. The shrapnel that ricochet from the bombardments of Gaza, will surely explode the powder keg of the wrath of the regional nations. Apparent as it is, the Resistance Movement has discretion and authority and acts independently. Thank you for your attention.