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Iran

Iran Stripped of UN General Assembly Vote for the Second Year Running

January 13, 2022
Faramarz Davar
3 min read
Iran Stripped of UN General Assembly Vote for the Second Year Running

Iran’s voting rights at the UN General Assembly have been suspended for the second year in a row due to being behind on payments. It was one of eight countries, including Venezuela and Sudan, that were notified of suspension by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this week.

In the spring of 2021, the Islamic Republic had shelled out about $16 million in a bid to restore its ability to vote. But according to the UN charter, a member state is suspended when its arrears exceed the dues it should have paid over the last two years – and with the advent of a new year, Iran is in the red again.

Guterres also laid out the minimum amount each country must pay to recover their vote. Iran will need to find just over $18m. By contrast, Sudan needs to pay just $300,000, while Venezuela will have to come up with about $4m.

In total 11 UN member states were notified of outstanding debts. The Comoro Islands, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia owe the UN more than two years’ worth of payments but have retained their voting rights, as the outstanding debt was found to be "due to conditions beyond the control of the member”.

What Does Tehran Say About the UN Debt?

The Islamic Republic of Iran cites US sanctions as a major cause of existing inefficiencies in all areas. But Saeed Khatibzadeh, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, has also repeatedly raised them in the context of the UN debt.

Most recently, reacting to the notification from Guterres, he told reporters: “Unfortunately for the second year in a row, our country's membership fees to the United Nations have been hampered due to the oppressive and illegal US sanctions.

"Despite numerous difficulties, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has provided the necessary resources to pay its membership to the United Nations, and is conducting the necessary consultations to resolve the issue. At the same time, the provision of a secure channel for faster payment of membership fees is being considered."

The UN charter allows countries with two years’ worth of arrears to hold onto their voting rights if the reason for the delayed payment is “beyond their control”. In the case of Iran, no such exception was made. Tehran is demonstrably able to pay the UN despite the sanctions on banks, as it managed to do so last year.

What Does the Suspension Mean?

The suspension applies exclusively to Iran’s voting rights at the UN General Assembly, which meets in regular session in New York, most intensively toward the end of the year. Iran retains its voting rights in other divisions of the UN, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The General Assembly, though, is one of the main pillars of the United Nations. It plays a crucial role in international decision-making and has a wide range of powers alongside those of the Security Council, shaping not just the policies but geopolitical positions of countries around the world. Of the General Assembly’s 139 member states, just eight are currently left without a voice in the chamber. They will be conspicuous by their absence.

Related coverage:

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UN General Assembly Calls on Iran to Eliminate Religious Discrimination

Surrealism in Action: Iran Becomes a Member of UN's Commission on Women’s Rights

UN Special Rapporteur Issues Damning Report on the State of Human Rights in Iran

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