A Summary of the Statements Made by His Excellency Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran International Conference on Palestine 23 Dec. 2023    Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen; Once again, I would like to appreciate the high-ranking officials, ministers, Members of Parliaments and political parties, scholars, religious clerics, thinkers and journalists for participating at the Tehran International Conference on Palestine. This morning, two panels, namely “Political and Legal Effects of the War on Gaza” and “Role of Media, Thinkers and Religious Leaders in the War against Gaza” were held. In the afternoon, the high-ranking officials delivered their speeches and exchanged ideas on the Palestinian issues at the presence of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our distinguished guests, from different countries and regions, expressed their valued views on various subjects about the war against the Gaza Strip. This concern is essential for ending the crimes of the occupying regime and extend support to the Palestinian people. At the end of this conference, I would like to provide you with a summary of my statements: As we know, following the occupying regime’s relentless attacks against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in recent weeks, more than 20,000 people have been killed and over 58,000 Palestinians have been injured, some 70% of them women and children. Furthermore, these attacks have caused widespread destruction of vital infrastructure, hospitals, residential buildings, mosques and churches, water and electricity supply networks, schools and other international supported facilities. Aligned with many concerned people and defendants of human rights, I would like to express my disgust at the continuation of these attacks and condemn the crimes that have affected the global public mind. I do reiterate that these illegal acts are gross violations of international law and international humanitarian law. The reason for the stronger reaction of the international community to the crimes committed by the occupying regime in the Gaza Strip is the use of prohibited weapons, including phosphate bombs and cluster munition, by this regime and threatening to use nuclear weapons, that led to the killing of civilians, including women, children, members of relief teams, medical personnel, international aid workers and journalists in the Gaza Strip. These illegal acts are not justifiable as legitimate defense. Accordingly, international legal and judicial bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), are expected to proceed and prosecute the crimes committed by the occupying regime, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. According to international law, all states as well as international and regional organizations have some obligations which must be fulfilled regarding the decades of suffering by the Palestinian people. We recognize that a real solution to the Palestinian conflict requires an objective understanding and settlement of the root causes. The current crisis is rooted in the occupation of the Palestinian territories, displacement of its original inhabitants, organized killings and terrorism, looting of natural resources, apartheid and systematic discrimination and continued aggression on al-Quds in the last 75 years. Settlement of the question of Palestine requires ending the occupation, considering the right to resist and stand up against the occupation and aggression, respecting the inalienable right to self-determination and realizing the full rights of the Palestinian people, including establishment of an independent state. In addition to moving towards the fundamental resolution of the question of Palestine, it is necessary to address the most urgent problems of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza. In this situation, like other defenders of peace and humanity, I also call for an immediate stop to the war against the Gaza Strip. It is clear that creating conditions for a normal life in the Gaza Strip requires withdrawal of the occupying military forces, lifting the siege completely, unrestricted reopening of the border crossings for immediate, adequate, continued and unhindered delivery of aid, including water, food, medicine, fuel and other commodities to all residents of the Gaza Strip and freedom of all Palestinian detainees as well as prisoners. Imposing military pressures for the forced evacuation of the residents in the Gaza Strip was also one of the other topics which was discussed in the conference. The Gaza Strip has been under siege for a couple of years; accordingly, it is called the largest open air prison in the world. The Palestinian people have been subject to greater sufferings in recent weeks. These pressures have been accompanied with some openly declared orders for evacuation, destruction of vital infrastructure, military attacks on hospitals and medical facilities, repeated denial of access to water, electricity, fuel and communication services, as well as restrictions and hinders on delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. Consequently, according to the figures issued by the human rights bodies, about 1.9 million people, equivalent to 85% of Gaza's population, are displaced. In addition, it will lead to an increase in diseases and death of further residents in the Gaza Strip. We should keep it in mind that violent approaches which are against the international law have led to the displacement of millions of Palestinians in the past decades. Only in Jordan, there are more than 2 million Palestinian refugees registered by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East). The Israeli regime’s policies in usurping lands and illegal construction of the Zionist settlements in the West Bank, along with the discriminative and racist approach adopted against the Palestinians and depriving them of their fundamental rights, have been in place for decades. For many years, the military rule of this regime, accompanied with a terrifying, humiliating and suppressive approach, has disrupted all aspects of normal life in the occupied territories of Palestine. Therefore, any form of displacement and forced migration of the Gaza Strip residents as well as any changes in the demography of all Palestinian lands are strongly rejected. At the same time, the illegal settlement building policy should be immediately stopped, which is in clear violation of international law and has led to the excessive violence among the settlers towards the Palestinians especially in the West Bank, and massive killing and wounding of the Palestinian people. Ladies and Gentlemen; Freedom-loving and justice-seeking people expect international bodies and diplomatic channels to take effective measures in order to end the war and bloodshed. Many of us welcomed the United Nations Secretary General’s act in triggering Article 99 of the UN charter and we are disappointed to see that the United Nations Security Council fails to fulfill its responsibility in dealing with a threat to international peace and security, especially considering the possibility of the expansion of the current crisis. International efforts aimed at stopping the occupying regime's attacks against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, should continue through the UN agencies, especially the General Assembly and Human Rights Council. We welcome the regional and international efforts, including the measures adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other individual and collective actions of the states with the aim of ending the attacks against the Palestinians and reduce sufferings of the civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It is also necessary to continue holding consultations and follow the initiatives to realize the rights of the Palestinian people, including the initiative to form an international mechanism for the supporters of Palestine or establish an international fund for reconstruction of Gaza. These efforts must be pursued while taking into account the fact that the Palestinian land belongs to the Palestinian people and decisions about the future of the Palestinian government must be made based on the right to self-determination and by the elected representatives of the Palestinian people. This international conference was organized to declare solidarity with the people of Palestine. My collaborators and I, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, had the intention to show the world that Palestine is not alone. Despite having a limited time at the ending days of the year, we hosted a big number of high-ranking officials and experts from different regions. I believe that Palestine is a field to study and examine the claims made in support of human values, including the protection of human rights and freedom. Accordingly, I hope that other countries, international bodies and non-governmental organizations will continue to hold meetings and consultations to stop the war and the bloodshed, end the pain and suffering of the Palestinian people and realize the cause and rights of the Palestinian people. The future will sit in judgement over our actions. Assuming responsibility and playing a role in ending the occupation and stopping the war crimes mean standing on the right side of the history. In conclusion, once again, I would like to appreciate your presence in this conference and thank you for exchanging your valuable ideas. At the same time, I would like to say thank you to the organizers of the conference and wish you a good time. Thank you for your attention.