Statement by His Excellency Ambassador Nassereddin Heidari
Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
Agenda Item 2: Harnessing Space Applications for a Resilient and Inclusive Future through Enhanced Regional Cooperation
Statement by His Excellency Ambassador Nassereddin Heidari
Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to UNESCAP
Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
Agenda Item 2: Harnessing Space Applications for a Resilient and Inclusive Future through Enhanced Regional Cooperation
Bangkok, Wednesday 28th October 2026, 10:00-16:00 ICT
In the name of God, the beneficent, the merciful
Mr. Chair, (Madam Executive Secretary), Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen
At the outset I would like to express my appreciation to the Space Agency of the Kingdom of Thailand as well as the UNESCAP Secretariat for hosting this Ministerial Session.
Our gathering here today highlights the importance of Space technology applications, combined with digital innovations for disaster risk reduction and Sustainable Development through Enhanced Regional Cooperation in Asia and the pacific in creating a Resilient and Inclusive Future which is a testament to our interconnectedness, not only on this region and this earth but also beyond terrestrial domain.
The emergence of digital innovations, such as artificial intelligence has defined a shift in the use of Earth observation data: the automation and optimization of geospatial workflows and the production of high-quality analysis-ready data enhances our ability to cooperate on reducing disaster risks, building sustainable urban areas, promoting resilient agriculture and creating environmentally conscious industries for future generations.
Distinguished Delegates
As a country highly vulnerable to various natural disasters, the Islamic Republic of Iran firmly believes in the transformative role of space technologies—particularly remote sensing, satellite data, and digital innovations—in comprehensive disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In recent years, Iran has made significant national strides in integrating space-based applications into disaster management and early warning systems to protect our communities. Our country could succeed in developing an advanced indigenous telecommunication and remote- sensing satellite program through which number of satellites launched to space.
None of these achievements can be sustainable if the most basic principles of international law such as United Nations Charter and International Humanitarian Law are not respected.
In the last eight months and throughout the criminal aggression campaign carried out by United States and the Israeli regime against my country, insidious and deliberate attacks have been conducted on civilian space and communication infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran among other egregious violations and atrocities namely the shameful state sponsored terror of the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other senior officials and scientists which led to their martyrdom.
The aggressors have deliberately targeted civilian space facilities, the space research center of the University of Science and Technology and the aerospace research institute, the related space center which oversees satellite communication and data processing and satellite ground control stations and equipment observatory. More than 50 ground-transmitting earth stations of radio and TV broadcasting which are essential for disseminating public safety information, including evacuation orders, sheltering instructions, and security alerts have been systematically targeted.
I also have to add that such targeting are crude and uses irresponsible AI-processed satellite imagery which is known to mistakenly target civilians. In one recent example in September 2026, more than 60 people in a wedding were either killed or injured by a U.S. missile, which allegedly was supposed to target a communication tower 140 meters away from the wedding site. Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the rights to seek reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence through viable means and in line with the preemptory norms of international law.
Nevertheless, the consequences of these assaults extend far beyond Iran's borders. The targeting of ground stations and observatories disrupts internationally beneficial space-based services, including environmental monitoring, disaster management, and global telecommunications. In an interconnected world, these actions undermine the collective interest of people in the region to benefit from the peaceful use of outer space.
These deliberate attacks against exclusively scientific and communication infrastructure amount to acts of state terrorism and constitute war crimes. They represent a crystal-clear violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and grave breach of international Humanitarian Law.
The targeting of facilities indispensable to public safety and scientific progress shows the aggressors’ real criminal intent. Finally, we are witnessing a shift in global cooperative spirit that is affecting evolving areas such as Space, some countries now blatantly boast that they are the first to weaponize space and taunt others to do so. Nevertheless Islamic Republic of Iran is of the firm belief that cooperation is a much more viable model than contention
Thank you for your attention.