In remarks at a conference about “Return or restitution of cultural residence to the nations of origin” at the UN Basic Assembly on Monday, Majid Takht Ravanchi claimed the Israeli unlawful excavations in Palestine constitute a flagrant violation of international legislation and will direct to the escalation of the presently risky predicament in the Center East that alone is the end result of the prolonged profession of Palestine.

What follows is the textual content of his assertion:

“Mr. President,

Make it possible for me to express my appreciations to the Secretary-Basic and the Director-Normal of UNESCO for the report contained in document A/76/321. I also want to commend the Govt of Greece for its capable leadership to aid draft resolution A/76/L.17 entitled “Return or restitution of cultural residence to the international locations of origin”. My delegation would also like to take this possibility to reemphasize the notable part of UNESCO in the fight towards the illicit trafficking of cultural home and encourage the reinforcement of its attempts for returning or restitution of cultural objects to the nations of origin.

Mr. President,

Cultural qualities, while actually regarded as as a common heritage of humankind, contribute to shaping cultural and nationwide id of countries of origin and are a testament to their civilizations, values and cultures. Ownership of cultural house is an inalienable human proper of the men and women of their soil. Therefore, the intercontinental neighborhood shares a popular duty as nicely as authorized and ethical obligation to not only maintain and safeguard cultural house but also safe its return to the international locations of origin.

The deprivation of cultural homes from its nations around the world of origin by whatever suggests, sorts or justifications and centered on any typical ideas of intercontinental law, all-natural regulation, conscience or human values, is unacceptable and unlawful. Hence, the obligation to return cultural homes to countries of origin neither always emanates from international legally binding instruments nor is minimal to their Condition functions.

In the similar vein, the 1970 Conference on the Suggests of Prohibiting and Stopping the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property neither legitimizes any elimination of cultural residence from its international locations of origin right before the entry into force of this Convention nor exonerates any states, like its parties, from the obligation to restitute or return the cultural objects stolen or illegally exported prior to the entry into pressure of the Convention to the nations of origin.

Nevertheless, my delegation believes that considering the fact that its entry into force, the 1970 Conference needs to be reconsidered in line with the applicable developments. This contains the articulation of the non-retroactive software of the Convention as perfectly as the recognition of possession of cultural home by the folks of their soil subjected to archaeological, ethnological or organic science missions’ eviction from the international locations of origin. These eviction took location all through a period of intercontinental relations when most of the origin nations ended up under colonial domination and political affect of foreign powers and owing to a variety of good reasons, like the lack of growth and entry to knowledge, had been not cognizant of wonderful values of their cultural homes.     

Also, cultural homes need to not be subjected to any confiscation or regulation enforcement motion as properly as unilateral coercive measures as they are a typical heritage of humankind.

Mr. President,

The illegal global cross-border motion of cultural objects is still an ever-rising worry for countries of origin, which include my Nation. As the Secretary-Common indicates in his report, “… threats to movable cultural heritage have continued to increase and have taken new kinds.” In addition to the conventional main catastrophic causes major to the illicit trafficking of cultural properties, these types of as conflicts, occupation and overseas interventions, trafficking and trade through the illegal marketplace by terrorist groups with the goal to funding terrorism has emerged as one of the main cars for the trafficking of cultural qualities that has been exacerbated in current yrs, in particular right after the creation of DAESH and Al-Qaeda. My delegation expresses its satisfaction with the inclusion, in the draft resolution prior to us right now, of its proposal on countering the funding of terrorism by means of the illicit trafficking of cultural attributes and the obligations of States to return all those things to the countries of origin, as indicated in “The United Nations Worldwide Counter-Terrorism Approach: seventh review”.

In this regard, we also wish to warn the intercontinental community concerning illegal excavations and threats facing the cultural heritage in Palestine, primarily the Al-Aqsa mosque, by the occupying routine of Israel and its attempts to damage and improve its features. Though this act constitutes a flagrant violation of intercontinental regulation, it will guide to the escalation of the currently unstable predicament in the Middle East that alone is the result of the extended occupation of Palestine.

Mr. President,

The Islamic Republic of Iran is of the look at that only by way of worldwide cooperation, we can overcome the illicit trafficking of cultural residence and its return or restitution to the countries of origin. In this context, our proposal on the institution of a Joint Motion System by nations around the world of the Historical Civilization Forum as very well as international locations of origin that are victims of the illicit trafficking of cultural property will aid coordinate and consolidate endeavours to battle the illicit trafficking of cultural objects and its return or restitution to countries of origin.  

Last but not least, offered the crucial role that cultural heritage performs in the dialogue and peaceful co-existence amid nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its readiness to endorse this culture of peace by way of cooperation with and extension of its complex guidance to other international locations, especially individuals that host the historic Iranian civilization and cultural heritage.

Thank you.”