Iran statement at 69th COPUOS under agenda item 14

Future Role and Method of Work of the Committee

Statement by the Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

at the 69th Session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

(69th COPUOS)

Agenda Item 14: Future Role and Method of Work of the Committee

(Vienna- 16 June 2026)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Mr. Chairman,

COPUOS and its Subcommittees continue to play a vital role in promoting international cooperation and addressing emerging challenges in outer space activities. The increasing scope and complexity of issues before the Committee reflect the growing importance of outer space for all countries.

In our view, preserving the central role of COPUOS in the global governance of outer space activities is essential. The Committee should remain the main international forum for discussions on the peaceful uses of outer space. Processes and initiatives outside of the COPUOS framework may lead to fragmentation in space governance and weaken multilateral cooperation. At the same time, the intergovernmental character of the Committee must be fully respected.

Rapid developments in outer space activities have created new challenges for the international community. In particular, the deployment of large satellite constellations in low Earth orbit by a limited number of actors has raised concerns regarding the growing use of limited orbital resources and the preservation of equitable access to outer space for all countries. Iran believes that the issue of mega-constellations and their implications for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities deserve greater attention within COPUOS.

We believe that the working methods of the Committee should continue to be improved. Better organization of agenda items, greater predictability in scheduling, and more efficient use of available meeting time can contribute to improving the work of the Committee.

As a guiding principle, the intergovernmental nature of the Committee’s activities must be preserved, and any effort or initiative that can adversely affect the central role of States in the Committee’s activities or undermine the role and activities of COPUOS must seriously be avoided.

Finally, any adjustment to the Committee’s work should include the needs and priorities of the developing countries in its future work. In this context, the core positions of the developing countries should be reflected in any new reporting format of the Committee’s meetings.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.