Iran General Statement at 69th COPOUS
Statement by H.E Reza NAJAFI Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran before 69th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (69th COPUOS):
Agenda Item 5: General Exchange of Views
Statement by H.E Reza NAJAFI, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
69th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (69th COPUOS)
11 June 2026
Agenda Item 5: General Exchange of Views
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the 69th Session of COPUOS. I also wish to align my delegation with the statement delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
The Islamic Republic of Iran reiterates its firm commitment to the peaceful uses of outer space, international cooperation, and the preservation of outer space for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all humankind.
We meet at a time when the principles underpinning the peaceful uses of outer space are facing unprecedented challenges. The recent military aggression committed against the Islamic Republic of Iran by the United States and the Israeli regime constitutes a blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and fundamental principles of international law.
My delegation wishes to pay tribute to the innocent victims of this criminal aggression, particularly to the 168 schoolgirls martyred in the bombing of an elementary school in the city of Minab by the US army. These indiscriminate attacks deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools, medical centers, scientific institutions, telecommunications facilities, and public infrastructure, in clear violation of international humanitarian law.
Mr. Chairman,
Iranian space research and development centers, satellite-related infrastructure, ground control stations, and communications facilities dedicated exclusively to peaceful purposes were also among the targets of these attacks. The US President openly stated that America would take Iran “back to the Stone Ages.” Such statements reveal the true nature of these acts of aggression and reflect a dangerous disregard to international law and the sovereign right of nations to scientific and technological development.
How can the international community meaningfully discuss the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, space traffic coordination and management, and space situational awareness capabilities, while the very ground-based infrastructure necessary for the control, tracking, and safe operation of space objects is being deliberately targeted? The deliberate targeting of civilian space-related infrastructure threatens not only one country, but the safety and sustainability of outer space activities for all nations.
Existing space law instruments primarily regulate activities in outer space itself, yet they do not provide an effective and binding framework for the protection of ground-based space infrastructure from military attack. This legal gap deserves serious consideration by the international community in particular by this Committee.
The Islamic Republic of Iran also expresses profound concern regarding the increasing use of commercial space assets and satellite services in support of military operations and acts of aggression. Such practices dangerously obscure the distinction between peaceful and hostile uses of outer space.
Iran reiterates that all space activities, including those conducted by non-governmental entities and private operators, must strictly comply with international law and the principles of the Outer Space Treaty.
Mr. Chairman,
Developing countries continue to face serious inequalities in access to outer space, space technologies, and space benefits. Capacity-building, technology transfer, and equitable access to orbital resources and opportunities remain essential for inclusive and sustainable development.
Iran also emphasizes that outer space and its resources are the common heritage of humankind and must be governed through transparent, inclusive, and multilateral frameworks. In this regard, COPUOS, as the sole UN body dedicated exclusively to the peaceful uses of outer space, must be further strengthened in order to effectively address emerging challenges in outer space activities.
My delegation also wishes to express concern that, despite the efforts made by the delegations during the recent sessions of both the STSC and the LSC, consensus on the adoption of the final reports was not reached. It is regrettable that references to sustainable development objectives and the needs and priorities of developing countries became the pretext for some to prevent consensus. Such developments risk undermining the spirit of multilateral cooperation, inclusiveness, and consensus-building that has long guided the work of COPUOS and its subsidiary bodies.
To conclude, despite threats, attacks, and unlawful coercive measures, the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue its peaceful space activities based on indigenous knowledge, national expertise, and domestic scientific capabilities.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.