Tehran regains UN voting rights

Iran regained its voting rights in the UN General Assembly on Friday after making the minimum payment on its UN dues and lashed out at the United States for maintaining sanctions that have prevented it from accessing billions of dollars in foreign banks. UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq announced that Iran had paid the minimum amount — $16,251,298 (U.S.) — and was able to vote in Friday’s election for five new members of the UN Security Council. He thanked banking and government authorities in various places, including South Korea, for enabling the payment to be made. In a tweet, Iran’s UN Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said: “Illegal US sanctions have not just deprived our people of medicine; they have also prevented Iran from paying our dues in arrears to the UN. After more than 6 months of working on it, the UN today announced it has received the funds. ALL inhumane sanctions must be lifted NOW.”