Permanent Mission of Iran The Islamic Republic of Iran, based on its obligations and domestic laws, considers itself committed to supporting the rights of religious minorities and Iranian ethnic groups. This commitment, rooted in Iran’s history, goes beyond mere compliance with international obligations and is inherent in the country’s historical composition of diverse ethnicities. Iran has always regard these ethnic groups as integral parts of the nation, a perspective that is ingrained in the collective consciousness of the people and institutionalized in policies and laws throughout the entire country. Like any country, there may be challenges in Iran regarding the legal expectations and demands of ethnic groups. The approach of the government to all these issues is based on supporting the rights of all citizens to meet their needs and strengthening and improving developmental infrastructure equally across all regions of Iran, and respecting, protecting, and promoting the rights of all Iranian citizens who are considered as a part of the Iranian ethnic groups and make up over a thousand years of Iran’s rich history. In this regard, there are no discriminatory policies or approaches towards any of the regions in Iran and unfounded claims and accusations in this regard are completely baseless. Madame Chair, in conclusion, advocacy for minority rights should not be exploited as a tool or pretext to endorse activities contrary to the purpose and principles of the United Nations. This includes upholding sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and political independence of states. It should not serve as a [inaudible] for interference in the internal affairs of countries. It is crucial to safeguard… [Speaker cut off by Chair]