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Full Text of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi's Address to the United
Nations
October 24, 1968
Anniversary of the Foundation of the United Nations Organization :
On the occasion of the twenty-third anniversary of the
United Nations, I would like to offer my congratulations to people of all
nations. May the coming year bear richer rewards, give rise to greater
hopes, and earn a worthy place in the history of the United Nations.
However, even now when the largest assembly in human
memory United Nations is entering a new year of life, the problems
standing in the path of the United Nations in carrying out its duties and
responsibilities cause us deep anxiety which cannot be concealed. Thirty
years ago, after a long period of devastation and war, the purpose and
hopes of the world in establishing this international organization were
not just to ensure peaceful settlement of international disputes through
an official organ or the creation of a supranational force to fight
against injustice, aggression, and territorial expansion, the evil
monsters which for centuries had demanded innumerable human sacrifices,
caused uncountable hardships, and brought grief to tormented hearts; but
rather to allow human society to enjoy for the first time the right that
had been denied it so long: security.
At the time we, one of the founder-members, and all
well-wishers longed to witness reason overcome the forces of egotism and
enmity. We believed that through international peace and understanding
mankind could utilize its immense moral and material resources, which had
only been used to destroy, for building a prosperous happy world enriched
by science, enlightened by knowledge, and devoid of injustice, poverty,
illiteracy, disease, and hunger.
Today, we are all deeply concerned. This organization,
which more than anything else depends on the sincere support of its
members, is faced with the most precarious situation ever. Unfortunately,
the difficulties that lay in its path at the start have not only not been
overcome but loom larger than ever.
Once more, the specter of Cold War is everywhere. Defense
budgets, a decimal part of which could free humanity from hunger, disease,
illiteracy, and poverty, instead of decreasing, have grown. The gap
between 'the haves' and 'the have-nots' is daily widening. Many nations
seem to be politically independent but cannot use their independence to
deal with their problems or to prosper because foreign influence and
interference is still strong. Fratricide and similar savagery in the world
sting the human conscience. Racial discrimination a mark of shame on
twentieth-century man, although intolerable to most humans can still be
seen in various parts of the world. And the
power-seeking policies of the strong are hampering the execution of United
Nations' ideals.
But, as I have repeatedly said, no factor in present
world society can be considered as effective in securing the real
interests of mankind as this organization because the United Nations has
been founded on the ideals that sanity and logic dictate to attain man's
welfare. If this moral force, which has never before been so great, falls
to the forces of evil and aggression the future of human society will be
one of anxiety and fear and the world will forever be in dread of an
atomic war.
Therefore, now that a new year is starting for the
United Nations, I consider it my duty as the representative of a country
with an inherent spirit of good will and understanding, to bring to the
notice of world statesmen the point that by continuing in the opposite
direction to the ideals of the United Nations they will instigate such a
catastrophe that neither big nor small will remain. Instead, let us invite
the responsible citizens of the world, who are deeply worried about the
present situation, to continue their efforts and use all their power to
defend the ideals which the United Nations stands for: so that the voice
of sanity and logic will echo in a world that could through scientific
endeavors turn it into a paradise for future generations.
The presentation of the above material
is property of Iran Culture and Information Center.
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