Tehran, Iran – Iran on Thursday accused the United States of preventing three staff members from its permanent mission to the United Nations in New York from continuing their work. It deemed the move a blatant violation of Washington’s legal obligations as the host country of the international organization’s headquarters.
In an official letter to the United Nations dated December 10, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the US actions represent “the height of violating international law and breaching commitments.” It believes this violation is incumbent upon Washington under the UN Headquarters Agreement.
Call for international intervention
Tehran called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to intervene urgently to ensure the United States fulfills its obligations. Iran also warned that the continuation of these violations would “undermine the credibility of the United Nations and the Secretary-General.” It further stated that these transgressions could become “a dangerous and routine practice.”
The Iranian Foreign Ministry explained that diplomats at its mission face widespread restrictions. These include limitations on their residence and movement in New York, as well as increased scrutiny of their bank accounts. The ministry considers the restrictions on everyday purchases to be “pressure and harassment designed to disrupt the legal duties of Iranian diplomats.”
The motive is political, not security-related.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry asserted that Washington’s actions lacked any security justification. It described the restrictions as “baseless allegations” and evidence of the US government’s “political hostility” toward Iran. This comes as the Trump administration continues its policy of maximum pressure.
It is worth noting that last September saw the imposition of strict US restrictions on the Iranian delegation during the UN General Assembly meetings. These restrictions included limiting their movement to a small area around the organization’s headquarters.
So far, the US government has not issued any official comment on the Iranian complaint.
