Iranian ambassador to the UN said the Islamic Republic is going to regain its voting rights this week after South Korea paid $18 million of Iran’s dues to the United Nations with the funds frozen due to the US sanctions.

Majid Takht Ravanchi confirmed on Saturday night that Iran’s membership dues to the UN have been paid, so the Islamic Republic’s voting right will be reclaimed this week as soon as the transaction is completed.

It came after South Korea said it has paid $18 million of Iran’s dues to the United Nations with won funds blocked under the US sanctions.

Seoul “on Friday completed the payment of Iran’s UN dues of about $18 million through the Iranian frozen funds in South Korea, in active cooperation with related agencies such as US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the United Nations Secretariat,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

“Iran’s right to vote at the General Assembly is expected to be restored immediately with the payment,” the Korean ministry added.

Iran has been denied the right to cast its vote on various matters at the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council for a second consecutive year.

The US re-imposed the sanctions after leaving the 2015 agreement with Iran and world powers that had partially suspended the coercive economic measures.

Source: Taasnim news agency and Al-Jazeera