Tehran, Dec 3, IRNA – Counselor at the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations on Palestine Mohammad Reza Sahraei said that the assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh is a criminal act and a clear manifestation of state terrorism aimed at jeopardizing international and regional peace, and needs to be strongly and immediately condemned by the international community.

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Deputy Minister of Defense and Head of the Research and Innovation Organization of the Ministry of Defense of Iran, who was described by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as "a distinguished nuclear and defense scientist", was assassinated and attained martyrdom on Friday evening, December 27, near the town of Absard, Damavand city to east of Tehran during a terrorist attack by the criminal agents of the Zionist regime.

Sahraei’s delivered the speech at the UN meeting on Palestine where five resolutions were adopted against the Zionist regime on Wednesday evening.

The full text of his speech follows: I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of Palestinian People for its prominent work in promoting the cause of Palestine.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the Secretariat’s Division for the Palestinian Rights for its valuable work as well.  Yesterday, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, all of us renewed our shared commitment to a just and lasting solution for the question of Palestine and durable peace in the Middle East.

The observance of this day is indeed an opportunity to highlight the dire and painful situation endured by Palestinians over the course of decades as a result of the gross and systematic violation of their rights by the Israeli regime.

The question of Palestine is the longest-running crisis of our time with no foreseeable conclusion in sight.

It has not been settled due to the application of the golden “principles of justice and international law”, as enshrined in Article 1 of the UN Charter, nor has it been ensured with respect to this crisis.

In fact, the non-compliance of the occupying regime with relevant international laws and regulations has further prevented the international community from achieving a just and lasting solution to the crisis.

After more than seven decades, the Israeli regime has continued to violate the fundamental human rights and dignities of the Palestinian people as well as other Arabs living under its occupation.

As a result, Palestinians are not only deprived of their lands and properties while being forcibly evicted but also subjected to violence, terror, and intimidation.

In the Gaza Strip, nearly two million Palestinians continue to live under the suffocating blockade, making Gaza the world’s largest uninhabitable open-air prison.

This situation amounts to collective punishment against the entire population of Gaza, including women and children, thus constituting a war crime under international law.

We consider the Golan as an integral part of the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Iran reaffirms that all discriminatory and illegal policies by Israel constitute a flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter, relevant UN resolutions, and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

  I would like to take this opportunity and reiterate our principled position that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved solely through the promotion of a discriminatory and selective policy of support for the Israeli regime as well as simultaneously condemn the legitimate struggle of Palestinian people against the occupation.

Putting an end to more than seven decades of conflict and instability in the Middle East while simultaneously establishing a durable peace is only possible by resolving the Palestinian issue through the termination of the occupation, the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland, ensuring the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination as well as establishing a sovereign and viable State of Palestine with Al-Quds as its capital.

Mr President Over the current decade, several top Iranian scientists have been targeted and assassinated in numerous violent terrorist attacks.

Our firm evidence clearly indicates that certain foreign quarters were behind such assassinations.

In this connection, on 27 November 2020 in the Absard city of the Tehran province, Dr Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a prominent Iranian scientist, was assassinated in a heinous terrorist attack.

One of the last projects to be undertaken by Martyr Fakhrizadeh was his outstanding role in the development of the first indigenous COVID-19 test kit, which served as a great contribution to our national efforts in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when Iran is under such inhumane sanctions by the United States that thereby strictly prevent our access to humanitarian goods, including medicines and medical equipment.

He was also supervising the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that could not only curb its spread but also help defend the population of our country that has been ravaged by this lethal pandemic.  The cowardly assassination of Martyr Fakhrizadeh – with serious indications pointing to Israeli responsibility – is another desperate attempt to jeopardize international and regional peace.

In fact, the commission of such a reckless and criminal act is a clear manifestation of state terrorism which needs to be strongly and immediately condemned by the international community.

Emphasizing that no amount of terrorist attacks can put pressure on or hinder Iran’s progress in the achievement of discoveries and successes in the fields of science and technology needed for its socio-economic development, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its rights to take all necessary measures to defend its people and secure its interests.

I thank you, Mr President 9417**2050 Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish