UN General Assembly
1997

in the governorates of Diala and El-Kut on 29 September 1997. Iran and another State are taking advantage of the illegal air embargo, imposed on northern and southern Iraq by the United States and its collaborators, to violate Iraq’s sovereignty, penetrate its airspace and commit continuous military aggression on its territory. The continuation of this illegal air embargo constitutes an ongoing threat to Iraq’s sovereignty and security, not only from America and Britain, but also from Iran and other States. This situation, in which acts of aggression are repeatedly committed, means that the explicit United Nations pledges in relevant Security Council resolutions to safeguard Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have become a mere dead letter. It is time that these 9 pledges be honoured. If it does otherwise, the United Nations will have violated its own pledges. Iraq is an ancient country with a history going back more than 7,000 years. The Iraqi people, who contributed immensely to human civilization, will remain in charge of their own affairs, independent in their choices and able to