Iran Cites War’s ‘Unprecedented Dimensions’

The following is the text of Iranian President Ali Khamenei’s letter to U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar accepting Security Council Resolution 598:

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Excellency,

Please accept my warm greetings with best wishes for Your Excellency’s success in efforts to establish peace and justice.

As you are well aware, the fire of the war which was started by the Iraqi regime on 22 September 1980 through an aggression against the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran has now gained unprecedented dimensions, bringing other countries into the war and even engulfing innocent civilians.

The killing of 290 innocent human beings, caused by the shooting down of an Airbus aircraft of the Islamic Republic of Iran by one of the American warships in the Persian Gulf, is a clear manifestation of this contention.

Under these circumstances, Your Excellency’s efforts for the implementation of Resolution 598 are of particular importance. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always provided you with its assistance and support to achieve this objective. In this context, we have decided to officially declare that the Islamic Republic of Iran--because of the importance it attaches to saving the lives of human beings and the establishment of justice and regional and international peace and security--accepts Security Council Resolution 598.

We hope that the official declaration of this position by the Islamic Republic of Iran would assist you in continuing your efforts which have always received our support and appreciation.

Hoping for Your Success,

Seyed Ali Khamenei

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.