NoteVerbaldated19June,199hm theEmbassyof the
lslamiRepubliofIra nogethewithWritteStatementfthe
Govemmen oftheIslarnRcepublofhan ErnbassyofThelslamicRepublicofIra?
Duinweg24.TheHague
IN THE NAME OF GOD
Nc.JZiO-01-i36S
The Embasdqoj Che I~eamic Repubfic Oj Iran p~e~ents
d cornpoulieh fo Che InZernetional Cou; 06 Ju~Lice and hm
Yhe honout 20 endoh e hezedh Che &en 6.ûztemen: Oj
Yhe IhMc RepubeLc Oj iun in mgand dh "LeçaLdy 06
fhe -the& O& ue 06 Ncdzm Wtapol~ Inequuz ionadwL~on.q
0D~~OnI.
The Ernbanhyoj .the IdeaMc Repubeic oi Imn awd
Ad; O; f& oppch;Un.iiy:O unew Yo Yhe I&enn&ona! CChÿL:
Oj Jlis.tice Zhe cAhuuzncu CO kighe~Y connid~~chion.
End. ~-&*en AX~~TL
InSe;nGicnc2 Cs%-& cj' j~~&:z
?ecce P&ce
ÏiieHague The Govcrnmenr 01 thc Islamjz Repuhlic of Ircr: is
ploaccd to see rhat che Internacianal Court of Jcstica
ic raquested by the. Genfral Asseniblu Resolutior.
49/57(K)of 15 DeCernber 1994 Co rcil6er its aùvisory
opinion on r.hc fo~lowing qiicstjon: "Iz thc thrcac or
ure r>f ni~cloar ue.3nor.s i.ri riny circumsr~nco pcrmitr.r>C
undcr international law?"
This rcq~~cct har. becn made ar Gencral Azscmb1.y
ha5 coinpctencc under Articlc 96(1) of the'Charter of
the United Nat-ions to ask the Court for it: advisory
opinion on any legal qucrtion, and, in accordance with
Article 11(1), it hAs th<? capaci..y T.0 <t... conider
the qencral principlec of coopcration in the
maintenance of internat ional pcaCG and scccrity
includlng the principlcs rjoverning disarmament and thr
rctgulation of armaments .... " Our prcliminary
ohservationr: on this qucs tiori are as Çol1.0~:
A) Article 2(4) of the Ciiarter stipula te^ thst "Ail
Membcrs shall refrain iri their international relations
from the thraat or use of iorcc against the
territorial inregriry or political independcnce of any
><
Stato .... It 1.5 ;here!'orc concl~iùod, in accor.ùance
with par;igraph . of General Axccrnbly rcsolutior~
1G53(XVI) of 24 t1o;r. 1961 th61 "th*? use OS nilclear an<
thermo-nuclcar wez?o?.s ir- conzrbry to the cpiri:,
letter and airns o.! t'nitcc! Nationc: an?, .a such, a
direct violation of Che Chsrter of zhe Unitcd
Nations. "
n) Nutuit.\?r,trind~ng tl?.??.Che ~~ohl3it.ion of tlircat or
ucc of force ri r11i principlc and a
prcompt,(.>ry nnrin of :rti:crn,~~.lc.riril!.aw, thc ticinan.i Larian
international liiw trrip0:;c:: c<?rtaln ror:crictions on thc
conduct of Ç.t.atcs iri riine' oi conflict, for the
purpose of ~!.l.cviar< ng the sufferi..lgz of tiuman bcinq~
ir. rimec of ;ir.incd c:or:flicr. Scimri of rhc:sc rostricti.on::
arc clcarly scipi:!.s~ed .i.n hunianit;lri.an intcrnaf5.onal
icstrument.n. Ln accordz-.ncc vich t.hc Ilaquc Regulnrionc
annexeù to Cr>nvonri.nn No. IV rczpcctiny the Law3 anci
Cuztomc of Wsr on Land (1907) "che right of
helliçcrentr. to ;itiopt mc?ans of Iri:iuring the enamy is
not unlimitcd." Arc1c11i 35(:.) of Lhe Protocol. 1 OC1977 sdditiona? to rhe Four Gcneva Ccnvenfions (1949)
states that "in any armed cozil~ct, thc right of the
partics to tne conflicr to choocc methnez or mcans of
warfare i: not unl.imitec1."
It ic.l.lier~torci pl:1~~~1.b11? Cc> cnnclucie 1 tlic
non-exiztcnce oi: ;i lcgally binding inzrrumczt on the
prohibit-ion of certain types of weapons docs nat mean
that Statcs havrt Ln .ibsolute right to use thcm. It
could also hc nrgiicù that norm rules and gcrlcral
principles adopred in the field of humanitarian
icternation.31 1.aw with ri vicw to prohibiting anC
limiting the use of some cpecisl convenrional weapons,
is alro cffect-ivcly cxtcnùed to nuclcar wcspon-, due
to the dcstriictive nature of tills kinù of wcapons:
Some of the princi.ples of humanirarian intcrnztional
lnw from which orLe can deeucc: the illcgitimacy of the
use of nuclear weaponr, arc, .i>x.e-?.aijl, aG follow:
.- Prohibition of nicans and methods of war thar
cause unnccessary sulfczinq to human socictics
and environmcnt ';
- Distinguishiriq bc!:sr<icn mil 5tar:~ ~nd civi1i.m
targetr, 2,
- The r?xic.t.cncc of proport.<oi:>.: ir.y ScLwctctn rnilit.;iry
,a<ivnrrtagc-, LncLlnd ch<? rrcspc>nz and mcthods
usecl 3,
- PrahFbiLion oi Chc cse 0:-. ?r!ct.rrrnenrr. that causc
indiccrin1in3cc eCTcc~%, . rneahr, and
A:: ;l T I . of O c.! 1orCs, ;i riumbcr of
irnposce certain lirnitr, on thc: cnip:.;lc-ement, testing and
') 'rhc D*:Q:!:I:';~.i~), ,;, !;:. !,<:l:::;b~:rc or lS(j6 is~~ci
4:: i! 2;(c) rj! ct:~ !Ia;-i I<!:~LI!<~IIon:: niinc.>:cd LU
:i! !J I I I : : : iI i .u.proliferation of cuclc3r wezpcns Fhese incluùe, .i??ifs
-lia;
- Thc Ant.arcric Txcaty of 3959 wh'ich prohibizc
nuclcar we?,>;>on.s e:-:?losion and tczt-ingin the
hntarctica;
- Trcaty Rannina Nuclcar WiSapons Tc2t.s in thc
- Treaty on Princi~lcs Govcrn~ng Cho Xctivitic~ of
Stares in Che Explorn~ion and Usc of Outer Spacc,
incliiding thc Xoon and Other Celectial Radies
(19G7);
- Trcaty ior thc Prohibition cf Nuclear Wcspons in
Lztin America (Trcaty of Tlatclolco) (1967);
- Trcaty on t-lir? Non-Prnliferation o.£ Nuclear
Wcapons (1968);
- Treaty on the Prohibition of the Kmplacement of
Nuclcar Weiipons and Othei: Woapons of >lazc
Destruction on the %a-Sed znd the Occan iloor
and in the Si:bsoil Tk:ercoÏ i 1971):
- South Pacific Nuclear-Frce ?,one Trcaty (7905).
In addition +O c e cc: rclazing to
nuclear ueapons, ccrtai~. . legzl ins~rumcncs were also
concluded in order xo e~r~inarc ocher types oi wc2?0ns
of mass destructioc, Like:
- Convcnrlon on the Prohibitior cf Ihe Dcvelnpment,
Productior~ ,?ne S:.oc::pi1inq of R.~cceriolo<~.j.cr\l
(i\iologicnI.) arid O Wcsporif. anc3 on thcir
Destruct-ion (2.972 );
- Convcnt.ivn or: tht? Frohib~L<nr? 01 Uilit,>ry or Ar17
OLher I!o?.t.i:e !l:;cOS Enyij.ror.meritaL Hodifi.cation
Tochniqnc~ (2977);
-. Convention or. th(! ?rohiùSr.ivri of Lhii Dcvalopmcnt.,
Production. o i r and Ilzc of Chernical
'Jcapons c ni?thriir Dcçtriictio~i, (lg93 )
It woulil no'; hr: logi.ci11. c CO~C~~I~C thac thc
threar or ur,e of nuclczx wcapons is permitted, whenthe international communlty his prohibited cr!~cr
weapons of masc destruction witb much IC:S efjécts on
hurnan lif e.
C) I'rohibition of t-lie usé! ol nuclear wcaponz, r2xe t.n
thcir hugc desrrucrlve ariù aod~iying ef f ccts , could
also bc underst-ooù froin the rule:: of international law
relatinq to the cnvironmcnc. First of al1 refcrcnce
can bc made to Frinciplc 21 ,f 1972 Stockholm
Declaration on Huniarr Environment which, as a cxstornary
rulc, stipulatcs that States arc rr:ponsihlc for any
acts in their tarrirory having acvo.se cffccts on the
onvironmenz oz othcr States. Th? samc idea is also
rcilcctcd in Princi.plc 1 of Rio Dcclariition of 1592..
It can be argueci that, while Statcr, arc preventcd from
such conductr in irseir own territory, thcy are duly
to rerrniri irmn any such acts againct other
bound
StaYe.5.
Article 35 of Prococol 1 of 1977 should be
particularly rnentioned which prohibits the i?sc of
methods and means of uarfare thar arc inùeecl, or may
bc cxpected to cause widesprcad, long torm and scverc
dan~aqc LO thr: natilral anvironmcnt. Xo ou, this
prohibition iippiiez t.o nuclcar wes?onc; for their
enormous destrucii-~e and 1or.ç *.cm: siiect on the
environmcnt. In thic rcgzrd mcntion can slso be msdc
of Article 23 of the Fourth Vag-e Convention of 1907
anù Article 52 of tiic r0urt.h Ceneva Convention (1949').
The proqrc!csivc development 02 international
cnvironrnental law in recen!: yearr.i hz.2 res.cilfed in the
aùopt-ion of a serit-, or Lrast.i ci;,: stiçti as:
- Vjcnna Convcntion for 7.h~ ~rotcction oi the Ozone
Layer (1985)
- United Na7ions 7race.dorlr Co6vcr.tion or. Cljmate
Chanqc (199%)
- Convcntion on Bi.ologict?l. Divarsity (1.092)
which is ind.i.ca~ivc of the awarenAsz of international.
comunity arid ti!c emcrgeni'c of an ~~inio iuri~
conccrninq tlie proservaçion O:, Clho environmont. Thcraforc thc use 05 nuciear veaponc, havinç tne mos;
I - destructive effects on environmcnt, is a grent concern
of internatj.ona1 socicty.
D) I>urrhermore, Art.ic1.e 1 (jf rhc Fiith Ilnguc
Convention of 190? ?.espec:ing th&,Riqhtr; 2nd D~tics of
Neutra1 Powers and Pcrzonz in Casc of War on Land
States tki,>t "tlic territory of tlic neurral. powtrs i::
irtviolablc." In accordance rrith ~kticie 1 of thc Hague
Conventian No. XII1 conccrning thci Righrs and Duriez
of Neutra1 Poworc in Naval War, ;the belligercnts are
bound to respect thc covercign' rights of neutral
Pcwers and tr> iibztair~, in neutral! territory of ncutral
waters, from an act whicli woulci constitutc a
violation of ncutrhlit.y. Thri bnlligercnt Statcs .ii;ivc
an obligat.j.on n(.>çorily CO i n Irom ùirecfly
st-cackinq rieurra1 :;tarer;, but 1.0 to refrain from
~ising methods and in',trumonts' thoc thrcateii inùirectly
. the lifc and environmcnt of t'r.ir6: States. Ir is clcar
that the effecrr of cile use of nuclear weapons arc not
confirteà to trte 0 1 5oundïiric; of ~elligercnt
Zt-ater. 2ncl havc -cnng co?rcqiicncao y-is-a-vi.~
the righrr of rhird ST~LQS.
E) Therc exist.:: an qinic i on the rl.~ht of
cvery person to life and .;cc\iri:ty, which a been
confirmecl on nt:meroEs occasions bf thci tinitcd Nations
Gencral Asscmbly . in this rd, the Gencrcil
Assemhly, c?xcrci.siri~; :.L::fcnct.ion:: ilriùcr ~rticl<! 11 of
the Chart.cr witi!i th n O of ,>chiev.i.nq
cornf~ler.f! niirrlear Cir:,:rrn~incni., ):;.IiddopLcd ;I r.umber of
rçsoluLi.oriz on the il.l.<:gali.ty of the: thrcst or use OC
nuclear weaponr. zomc oi which ar6 a- follow:
- ITho Ueclar.>?.ion of the I'ro>:ii,i.rion of :tic Usc ol:
Nu::le;ir anri T~ir:rrnor?uclcar Wcaponr" . Rec:o.Lut.j.ori
1653 (Y.VT) of 2/: h'ov. 1967:
- Rcsolution 2'336 (XXVI7) of %O Nov. 1972
concerning liori-1l-e of Force 5.n :ntcrna?:ion~l
Relaçiorir; 1 !'<?rci;!ricnc -roi-.ibi.tiort of Niiclear
wcap0r:ri;
- Iierioli~tior: 13/71 c.; Il! Dec. il078 cri Non-Usc of Nuclear Weapons and ?rf:vsntion 01 Ncclecr .
Weapons;
- Rezolution 34/83 of 11 Dtci. 1979 on HCE-Us* of
Nuclcar Wcspans ilrid?rcvent:ion of Nuclcar War:
- Rcsolct~on 35/162 0.t 17. Dec. 1900 on Non-Unc of
Auclear Weapons 2nd ~revention of Huclear War;
- IZcsolutior\ 36/92 of 9 Dcc.: 1901 ûn Non-Use of
Nuclear Weapons and Prcver~tjon oi Nuclear War;
This o~inio Siiris cm alsc 5e dcduced {rom thr:
1995 Review and Extension Coriferc;:ncc of the Parties CO
thc Txcsty or, thc on-~roliicration of Nilclear Weaponr
in which States reiteratcd thcir belici in "the
ultimntc goal.? oi coinplctc! clinlnation of nuc1.car
weapon': and a txeaty of qc?;leral and coniplerc
dirarmarnent. .. . .9,
Tùkiag j.nto cofisidcration thc1 enc! oc the Col6 War
and tho ncw devclopmcnts Fr, the intt?rnational
relations, thc Islamic Bcpblic o'f Iran believes thar
thc,Internati,on21 C?czt of 3ustice is now in a betrer
position CO Tcsponc! to the iriternarionai public
conscience arid rerder irs advi!:ary opicion on th12
illegalitp of tnc thrcat or ucc ci n-clcar wcapanr.
Note Verbale dated 19 June 1995 from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, together with Written Statement of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran