Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations called for a balanced, effective and full implementation of the Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA).

In an address to a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly for the Appraisal of the United Nations Global Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons, held on Monday, Majid Takht Ravanchi warned that the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons not only promotes violence in all its forms, but also fuels crime and terrorism across the world.

“We share the concerns about humanitarian, socio-economic and security consequences of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and their diversion to unauthorized recipients,” the Iranian envoy said.

“‘Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects’ (PoA) is the only universal framework to address these multifaceted challenges,” he added.

“As a victim of foreign-backed terrorists, and faced with the threat of organized crime and trafficking in drugs linked to the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, the Islamic Republic of Iran highly values the Program of Action and calls for ensuring its balanced, effective and full implementation including through identifying and addressing its implementation challenges,” Takht Ravanchi said.

Iran’s ambassador said that according to the Program of Action, “the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects sustains conflicts, exacerbates violence, contributes to the displacement of civilians, undermines respect for international humanitarian law, impedes the provision of humanitarian assistance to victims of armed conflict and fuels crime and terrorism”.

Source: Iranian media