Secretary-General Looks Forward to Meeting Heads of State, Government

As Iran Hosts Sixteenth Non-Aligned Movement Summit, 29-31 August

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General will visit Tehran from 29 to 31 August to participate in the sixteenth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement.  The Secretary-General looks forward to the Summit as an opportunity to work with the participating Heads of State and Government, including the host country, towards solutions on issues that are central to the global agenda, including follow-up to the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, disarmament, conflict prevention and support for countries in transition.

The Secretary-General also takes seriously his responsibility and that of the United Nations to pursue diplomatic engagement with all of its Member States in the interest of peacefully addressing vital matters of peace and security.  With respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Secretary-General will use the opportunity to convey the clear concerns and expectations of the international community on the issues for which cooperation and progress are urgent for both regional stability and the welfare of the Iranian people.  These include Iran’s nuclear programme, terrorism, human rights and the crisis in Syria.

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For information media • not an official record