UN Envoy Laments Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on Civilians

Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations expressed regret about the negative impacts of unilateral coercive measures on the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians during conflicts, particularly affecting women and children. 
Zahra Ershadi underscored that effective humanitarian operations for civilian protection rely on international cooperation, proper and timely finance and resource access, but these elements are unfortunately impeded by such measures. 
“Unilateral coercive measures have severe consequences, particularly on food insecurity, affecting civilians, especially women, and children,” she said at an open debate of the UN Security Council on protecting the civilians and ensuring the security and dignity of civilians in conflict, according to full text of her speech published by IRNA.  
These illegal measures, she added, also hamper healthcare systems and humanitarian organizations, restricting access to medical supplies and impeding aid delivery.
“By lifting unilateral sanctions, the international community can foster an environment that enables swift and effective humanitarian responses, ensuring that critical assistance reaches those in need without unnecessary delays or limitations,” she said. 
Ershadi stressed the importance of protecting civilians against the devastating effects of conflicts on their lives, voicing concern about the lack of compliance with international laws in this regard. 
She referred to the Secretary-General's report, showing that armed conflicts in 2022 resulted in a significant number of casualties, including deaths, injuries, enforced disappearances, and immense suffering. 
The report also highpoints the persistent and devastating effects of armed conflicts on food security, leading to continued hunger in many regions, according to the ambassador. 
She noted that the disruption of agriculture and trade exacerbates the situation, causing shortages of essential supplies and agricultural products. 
“These alarming statistics underline the urgent need for concerted efforts to address the impact of armed conflicts on food security and protect civilian populations,” she said. 
the senior diplomat urged all parties to armed conflicts to fully comply with their obligations under international law, as well as to respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence in the provision of humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance.

The deputy permanent UN representative later drew attention to conflicts in the critical Middle East region, where she said “terrorism, occupation, illegal unilateral acts, and the presence of illegal foreign forces continue to wreak havoc on civilians and their infrastructure.” 
She pointed to the occupied Palestinian territory where the human rights of Palestinians continue to be systematically violated by the Israeli regime. 
UN reports indicate that last year, the West Bank witnessed the highest number of Palestinian civilian fatalities since 2005, while the situation in Gaza is deeply distressing, as it has effectively become the world's largest prison, she pointed out.  
The destruction of vital infrastructure compounds and the already dire humanitarian situation have also left the people of Gaza in a state of extreme vulnerability, according to Ershadi. 
She added that the humanitarian situation in the Syrian Arab Republic is devastating as well, due to the persistence of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and EU, as well as the plundering of Syrian natural resources by illegal foreign forces. 
This situation has exacerbated the challenges faced by the Syrian people and impede the Syrian government's ability to provide essential services to those in need, the diplomat explained. 
Iran also strongly condemns the heinous crimes of the Israeli regime against Syria, as they target civilian infrastructure and violate international humanitarian law and the UN Charter, posing a severe threat to regional peace and stability, she said. 
Ershadi later pointed to Afghanistan, emphasizing that humanitarian aid must remain impartial and unconditional in this country.
“Any politicization of humanitarian assistance can only harm the Afghan people who rely on it for survival,” she said. 
The ambassador called for the full return of the frozen assets of the Afghan people without any condition, also urging the country’s de-facto authorities to fulfill their commitments, particularly those concerning the rights of women and girls.