The Post’s Aug. 15 editorial “Fool’s errand” unjustifiably smeared Iran and mocked the upcoming Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran as a “bacchanal of nonsense.” This ignored the growing importance of the movement, made up of the majority of U.N. member states, in international affairs.
In light of its focus on multilateral cooperation, disarmament, sustainable world peace, rights of nations and horizontal relations defying hegemonic structures, the Non-Aligned Movement is a major cross-regional group in the United Nations, and U.N. leaders have always participated in its summits. By bringing dozens of world leaders together, the summit promises to make significant contributions to the movement’s lofty objectives.
Further, contrary to the editorial, Iran has no nuclear weapons program or ambitions. It has a peaceful, and legal, enrichment program that is covered by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safeguard and inspection mechanisms, which includesurveillance cameras and hundreds of short-notice inspections of the enrichment facilities.
Various IAEA reports have confirmed the absence of any evidence that Iran has diverted the declared nuclear material for military purposes. As a result, the Non-Aligned Movement has always supported Iran’s inalienable nuclear rights and opposed the illegal threats against Iran.
Alireza Miryousefi, head of the press office for the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York.
