Iran is the first country which has managed to fend off an imminent threat of military action envisaged in Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter through negotiations and conclusion of an agreement on its nuclear program, said the deputy foreign minister.
However, Abbas Araqchi criticized the people who equate Chapter VII with military measures, saying, "This chapter includes actions with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression, and military action is only one of the articles."
Underlining that Chapter VII is comprised of 12 articles, the deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs asserted, "The articles are enforced in order, that is when the need arises, the first one which takes effect is article 40; however, should the measures be proved inadequate, article 41 will be implemented providing for complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations.
"Finally, article 42 [military action] is applied which includes demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of UN member states to maintain or restore international peace and security."
According to Araqchi, the UN Security Council had considered Iran's nuclear activities a threat to international peace which explains why in Resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008) and 1887 (2009), article 41 was fully enforced and UNSC members were ready to move to article 42 in which case Iran would have faced military action.
"UNSC Resolution 1929, adopted on June 9, 2010, stated that Iran had to comply with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, not undertake any reprocessing, heavy water-related or enrichment-related activities or acquire commercial interests in other states involving uranium mining or use of nuclear materials and technology," the official explained, noting that the UNSC had actually introduced Iran as a serious threat to the world, arousing anger and hostility against Iran.
Araqchi said, "Iran has succeeded in removing not only sanctions but also preventing probable war by holding talks with the world powers, the effects of which will be felt sooner or later."
Unique Feature
Araqchi believes that one of the unique features of Resolution 2231, which was adopted on July 20 to endorse the nuclear accord, is the fact that it is time-bound and will expire in ten years.
Referring to "unconstructive" comments by members of the previous negotiating team on the deal, the senior diplomat said, "We do not intend to respond to such remarks as we maintain that all teams have made contributions to the same objective; nonetheless, conditions and approaches have been different."
Appreciating the support of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for the negotiating team, Araqchi stated, "The successes of the negotiating team were due to the national consensus thanks to the guidelines of the Leader."
