The remarks were made by Gholamhossein Darzi, the ambassador and deputy permanent representative of Iran to the UN, at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate and promote the “International Day Against Colonialism in All its Forms and Manifestations”.
   The Iranian envoy highlighted the persistence of contemporary colonial practices, stressed the need to oppose unilateral coercive measures, and underscored the centrality of the Palestinian issue as long as occupation continues.
   Below is the full text of Darzi’s statement delivered at the UN in New York:
   In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Madam President,
   At the outset, my delegation reiterates its alignment with the statements delivered by the Republic of Uganda, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and Sierra Leone on behalf of the Non‑Aligned Movement, the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, and the Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), respectively. We welcome the convening of this High‑Level Meeting, pursuant to resolution 80/106, as an opportunity to renew our collective commitment to the complete eradication of colonialism, and to acknowledge the unfinished nature of decolonization and its contemporary manifestations.

Madam President, Distinguished Delegates,
    As we mark the first commemoration of this International Day, my delegation recalls that colonialism has not disappeared but has instead transformed into insidious and harmful forms of subjugation, manifested through unjust political, economic, and social pressures that steadily erode the sovereignty of the independent States. These practices, rooted in the legacy of former colonial powers and perpetuated by their followers, assert illegitimate dominance and advance narrow interests at the expense of justice and multilateralism.
   In our time, colonialism reveals itself not only through military aggression and foreign occupation, but also through economic coercion and the manipulation of structural power in global finance and trade. It is evident in the conditionalities of development assistance, the exploitative appropriation of natural resources, and restrictions on access to markets and essential services. It further appears in interference in the internal affairs of states and in the politicization of human rights, particularly through country‑specific mechanisms.
   While reaffirming its unwavering commitment to sovereign equality and respect for territorial integrity, the Islamic Republic of Iran stresses that all forms of colonialism—whether through economic exploitation, restrictions on development, denial of resources, or the imposition of Unilateral Coercive Measures—must be unequivocally condemned and rejected.
   Finally, Madam President, my delegation reiterates that conflicts rooted in colonial and occupational policies gravely threaten international peace and security. This reality affects not only the peoples of remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories but all people subjected to such policies, above all the Palestinian people. We stress that resolving the Question of Palestine must remain a central UN priority as long as occupation endures and legitimate struggles are suppressed.

I thank you.