Sanctions Impeding Efforts to Avert Climate Change: Iran’s UN Envoy

Speaking at a Tuesday meeting of the UN Security Council on the effects of climate change on global peace and security, Majid Takht Ravanchi described dealing with the negative dimensions of climate change as a “collective” responsibility and said all governments must fully implement their obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris climate accord.

“Sanctions severely undermine the ability of a number of developing countries, such as Iran, to meet the challenges of climate change,” the Iranian envoy said.

“Unilateral US sanctions against Iran have not only prevented the country’s access to the necessary financial resources and technologies, but have also adversely affected the effective use of national capabilities to meet its obligations, and therefore these illegal and inhumane sanctions should be lifted,” he added.

The ambassador stressed that the developed countries have a greater responsibility to meet such challenges in view of their key role in climate change and their access to adequate technologies and financial resources.

“Developed countries should not only be at the forefront of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and provide adequate financial support to developing countries, but should also facilitate the transfer of climate-friendly technologies to these countries,” he told the meeting, Press TV reported.

The Iranian envoy also said the developing countries must live up to their commitments in accordance with their national capabilities and conditions, and reiterated that the international community must remove all obstacles to the effective implementation of their commitments, one of which is unilateral sanctions.