Iran Statement at 13th UNTOC COP under agenda item 2d
Statement by the Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran before 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime under Agenda Item 2(d): Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms Their Parts and Components and Ammunition
(21 October 2026)
الله الرحمن الرحيمبسم
Mr. President,
The Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledges the importance of strengthening cooperation to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms.
Despite not being a party to the Firearms Protocol, Iran’s national practices and legal framework address many of its key areas, reflecting our commitment to preventing illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms. Iran has adopted domestic legislation establishing penalties for trafficking in firearms and ammunition, including measures targeting illegal firearms carriers and armed smugglers, consistent with our national priorities. The Law on Punishment for Trafficking in Weapons and Ammunition and Holders of Unauthorized Weapons and Ammunition criminalizes the unauthorized entry or exit of weapons and ammunition, as well as their unauthorized manufacture, assembly, storage, transport, distribution, repair, and trade.
As a country affected by terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking linked to illicit firearms, Iran takes addressing these threats seriously. Our efforts include action plans against terrorist groups, stronger border controls, identifying arms-trafficking networks, and raising public awareness of the risks posed by the illicit trade and movement of firearms. Iran has established a system for recording data involving detected weapons to support systematic documentation and follow-up by relevant national authorities. These measures contributed to the detection and collection of tens of thousands of illicit weapons smuggled from some countries, demonstrating the scale of this challenge.
One clear example is the public admission by the President of one country on 5 April 2026, when he said, “We sent guns to the protesters, a lot of them.” Those guns were used to kill thousands of our civilians. The sacrifice of over five thousand Iranian law-enforcement personnel underlines the human cost of confronting illicit firearms and related crimes, particularly drug trafficking.
At the international level, the growing availability of untraceable firearms and the misuse of emerging technologies pose serious risks. Criminal networks increasingly exploit the internet and the dark web to obtain firearms and parts, while postal and courier services can move illicit items across borders. This underlines the need to strengthen cooperation of States, particularly between law-enforcement agencies and customs authorities, to prevent and combat the illicit trafficking in firearms.
More importantly, developing States must receive the assistance needed to address existing challenges and emerging threats without additional burdens.
This conference must also give due attention to addressing the adverse impacts of restrictive measures on the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols. To this end, the Conference must call for the removal of such measures, as they constitute one of the major obstacles to the fight against arms trafficking.
Ultimately, preventing and combating the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms is a shared responsibility. We must fulfil this responsibility responsibly. Obviously, our success depends on genuine cooperation, practical assistance, awareness-raising, and sustained commitment by all States, with a shared resolve.
I thank you,