Iran was elected as vice-chair of the UN Charter Committee on Wednesday, drawing fury from Israeli and American representatives to the UN.
Officially named the “Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization,” the UN Charter Committee is tasked with “examine suggestions and proposals regarding the Charter and the strengthening of the role of the United Nations with regard to the maintenance and consolidation of international peace and security, the development of cooperation among all nations and the promotion of the rules of international law.”
Since 1981, the committee has been led by a Chair, three Vice-Chairs, and a rapporteur. The General Assembly elects countries to the committee. Regional groups within the committee then elect countries to serve as Chair or Vice-Chair. At Wednesday’s opening plenary meeting, the Chair from Venezuela announced that the Asia‑Pacific States Group had chosen Iran as Vice‑Chair, to be represented by Yahya Aref.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, condemned the election of Iran, writing on X/Twitter that “[a] regime that systematically violates the most basic principles of the UN cannot sit in a position that is focused on preserving those very principles.”
Dubbing Iran’s election “moral absurdity,” Danon further called on the UN to “stop legitimizing those who act against the goals of [the committee.]”
Upon the announcement, Israel’s representative to the committee, Noam Cappon, immediately objected, calling the Iranian regime “the world’s leading state sponsor and the largest proliferator of terrorism.”
The State of Israel wishes to disassociate itself from any consensus-based action regarding the composition of the bureau and the election of the officers of the special committee on the Charter,” he said.
“For decades,” he continued, “the Iranian regime has openly called for the annihilation of the State of Israel, a blatant violation of the UN Charter. At the same time, it advances its nuclear and ballistic missiles program. It is a clear, blatant violation of the obligation under the UN charter and international law, posing a grave and imminent threat to regional and global peace and security.”
He also cited the regime’s “brutal” crackdown on anti-government protest as a disqualifying trait, arguing that “a state that systematically violates the charter and international law, undermines international peace and security, and massacres its own civilians cannot credibly serve on the bureau of a committee tasked with strengthening the very charter of the United Nations.”
“The fact that this decision is allowed to be passed without objection, or even without calling for a vote, speaks volumes.”
The American representative, Dorothy Patton, also condemned the move to elect Iran and Venezuela’s election as Chair.
“The bureau selection further solidifies our longstanding concern that this committee continues to be a forum for politicized accusations, which we firmly reject, rather than serious, practical discussion,” Patton said, further calling on the committee’s leadership to act in “good faith.”
Aref thanks group for electing Iran, calls US, Israel statements 'unfounded'
Speaking after the US, Aref thanked the Asia-Pacific group for electing Iran, and called Israel’s and the US’s statements “unfounded.”
“Such baseless remarks reflect disregard and contempt for the established practice of this committee for multilateralism and for the sovereign decisions of regional groups. Such politically motivated statements are irrelevant to the committee and the agenda item…, and do not merit substantive response,” Aref charged.
Introduced as a temporary committee in 1974 and reconvened every year since, the committee holds one session every year, lasting two weeks. This year’s session began on Wednesday and is expected to conclude on February 26.