April 08, 2009

NAM-Iran Relations

Nuclear:

The Non-Aligned Movement issued a joint statement at their 15th Ministerial Conference held in Tehran from July 27-30, 2008.  The members supported Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology and commended Iran for its cooperation with the IAEA.[1]

"The Ministers reaffirmed the basic and inalienable right of all states to develop research, production and use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, without any discrimination and in conformity with their respective legal obligations. Therefore, nothing should be interpreted in a way as inhibiting or restricting the right of states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes…The Ministers welcomed the continuing cooperation being extended by the Islamic Republic of Iran to the IAEA…They welcomed the fact that the IAEA has been able to verify the nondiversion of declared nuclear material in Iran as reflected in the Agency’s reports since November 2003 and further noted the assessment of the IAEA Director General in Safeguard Implementation Report (SIR) 2006 that all nuclear material declared by Iran had been accounted for and remains in peaceful activities…

The Ministers reaffirmed the inviolability of peaceful nuclear activities and that any attack or threat of attack against peaceful nuclear facilities - operational or under construction - poses a great danger to human beings and the environment, and constitutes a grave violation of international law, principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and regulations of the IAEA. They recognized the need for a comprehensive multilaterally negotiated instrument prohibiting attacks, or threat of attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful uses of nuclear energy…The Ministers stressed that diplomacy and dialogue through peaceful means must continue to find a comprehensive and long term solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. They expressed their conviction that the only way to resolve the issue is to pursue substantive negotiations without any preconditions among all relevant parties. In this regard, the Ministers welcomed Iran's willingness to commence negotiations on various regional and global issues, including nuclear issues with NAM Member States, particularly those of the region. The Ministers further welcomed the talks between Iran and the six countries held in Geneva in July 2008."

 

Economic Relationship:

The Non-Aligned Movement is not an economic cooperation or trade organization, though many of its member states have bilateral trade relations with other members.  The Non-Aligned movement has not made any formal statements on economic relations with Iran.

 
Diplomatic/Military Relationship:

The majority of diplomatic work of the Non-Aligned Movement is carried out at the joint Ministerial Conferences, the most recent of which was entitled “Solidarity For Peace And Justice” and was hosted in Tehran from July 27-30, 2008.  The Non-Aligned Movement has 118 member states, and 15 observer states, of which 98 members and 12 observers attended the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran in 2008.[2]

 

Member States:

Afghanistan

Algeria

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Botswana

Brunei

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Côte d'Ivoire

Cuba

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Fiji

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Jamaica

Jordan

Kenya

Kuwait

Laos

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mongolia

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

Oman

Pakistan

Palestine

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

Qatar

Rwanda

Saint Lucia

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

São Tomé and Príncipe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Somalia

South Africa

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Swaziland

Syria

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkmenistan

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

 

Observer States:

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Brazil

Costa Rica

Croatia

El Salvador

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Mexico

Montenegro

Paraguay

People's Republic of China

Serbia

Ukraine

Uruguay



[1] Statement On The Islamic Republic Of Iran’s Nuclear Issue, 15th Ministerial Conference Of The Non-Aligned Movement, Tehran, July 27-30, 2008, http://www.un.int/iran/NAM%20Statement%20on%20Iran%20XV%20ministreial.pdf  (February 17, 2009)
[2] Report of the 15th Ministerial Conference Of The Non-Aligned Movement, Tehran, Islamic Republic Of Iran, 29-30 July 2008 http://www.mfa.gov.ir/cms/cms/system/galleries/download/NAM/Rapporteur.pdf (February 19, 2009)
View Citations

More on this