Khaza'ie: Countries Entitled Right To Produce Defensive Weapons

New York, July 14, IRNA – Mohammad Khaza’ie said here Wednesday, as Deputy of UN Conference on Arms Trade Treaty, Iran would try to regulate manufacturing and sales of arms, so that countries’ right to produce weapons for security and defensive purposes would be preserved. Permanent representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran at the Unitized Nations, Khaza’ie added in an interview with the IRNA reporter at the UN, “Meanwhile, this treaty should not lead strengthening to the hegemony of world powers over the developing nations and prevent the latter group from manufacturing and exporting weapons.” Khaza’ie emphasized that Iran is agreed with the need for regulating the production and dealing of weapons in the world, adding, “By doing so we can block the path for profiteering intentions of the major weapons producer countries.” Khaza’ie emphasized, “Many countries believe illegal usage and trade of weapons and their exports for non-defensive purposes must be checked and regulated.” Referring to the current problems related to manufacturing and trading of weapons, he said, “In the first place the imports, exports and trade of weapons must be regulated within the barriers of the related laws, so as to block the path for taking disadvantage and frequenting of them through illegal channels and the possibility of smuggling weapons for the terrorists would be eliminated.” The permanent representative of Iran at the UN emphasized, “Some world powers by exporting weapons for the terrorist groups and dissidents in various countries endanger the security of other countries.” Khaza’ie referred to the efforts made by some weapon producing countries aimed at involving the human rights issue in arms trade, arguing, “We believe forwarding weapons for terrorist and dissident groups, such as the Syrian dissidents, or military intervention in a country like Bahrain are major cases of violating the human rights.” He referred to the efforts made some weapon producer countries to influence the attempts made for regulating in accordance with this treaty, saying, “Their efforts are aimed at arranging this treaty in a way that it will not jeopardize their political and economic objectives and interests.” Khaza’ie added, “Such countries due to the heavy competition they are involved with in weapons markets are not willing that the gates of the weapon market would be opened towards other countries.” Khaza’ie said, “These countries’ efforts are aimed at arranging the UN Armed Trade Treaty in a way preserve both their hegemony and their supervision over the weapons production and trade, as it is today.” Referring to the challenges and differences of opinion regarding regulating the arms trade, he said, “Making predictions about the final results of this conference, which is scheduled to take over a month is difficult today, but the Islamic Republic of Iran, as the deputy of the UN conference, would try to have a dynamic and effective presence at the technical discussions, and to be logical and in line with the rights of the world countries.”/end