UN General Assembly
2001

Today, other nations walk hand in hand with the American nation. Today, beyond mere rhetoric, one can see the convergence of the ideas of the peoples of the United States and Iran, who have also experienced, in earlier times, the mute but brutal massacre resulting from the use of chemical weapons. This convergence of ideas can also be discerned among all those refugees and displaced persons who are victims of war, suppression and terrorism — including State and non-State terrorism — in Afghanistan and Palestine. 30 We must have empathy for the suffering of people everywhere: in occupied Palestine, oppressed Afghanistan, New York, Washington or any corner of the globe. We shall rise to the challenge of promoting peace, security and development among all nations on the basis of justice, and we believe that in today’s interconnected world, we cannot live in islands of prosperity and progress while the rest of the world suffers from increasing poverty, illiteracy, disease and insecurity. Acquiescing to any act of terrorism, anywhere in the world, is inconsistent with any