Algeria Reiterates Call for Immediate Ceasefire, Resumption of Talks on Iran Nuclear Issue
NEW YORK (United Nations) – Algeria reaffirmed on Sunday in New York, through its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amar Bendjama, its “firm” call for an immediate ceasefire, the resumption of negotiations, and a sincere commitment from all concerned parties to reach a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on “Threats to International Peace and Security,” Bendjama stressed that “the world, especially the Middle East, cannot afford another war,” warning of the alarming escalation in the region that could lead to a catastrophic scenario.
“At a time when the international community had united to ease tensions, the situation sharply deteriorated yesterday, exacerbated by U.S. strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities,” he said.
Bendjama expressed Algeria’s “deep concern and strong regret” over this dangerous escalation, which, he warned, has severely complicated the security situation and exposed the entire region to unprecedented risks with potentially uncontrollable consequences. He further stated that undermining the international nuclear security system is a serious threat not only to regional stability but also to global peace and security.
The Algerian diplomat stressed that “attacks on nuclear facilities under international safeguards seriously undermine the integrity and credibility of the global non-proliferation regime.” He emphasized that the legal framework protecting nuclear facilities is clear, comprehensive, and binding, ensuring the highest levels of safety, integrity, and protection.
He recalled the IAEA General Conference resolution explicitly stating that “any armed attack or threat against peaceful nuclear facilities is a violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the IAEA Statute.”
“These provisions remain in force and fully applicable in this situation,” he added. “Nuclear sites must never be targeted. Respect for international legality is not optional—it is a binding duty incumbent on all member states.”
Algeria reaffirmed through its UN representative its “firm call for an immediate ceasefire, a return to negotiations, and a sincere commitment from all sides to find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, including lifting sanctions.”
Bendjama also recalled the UN Charter’s clear stipulation that “all nations must resolve their international disputes by peaceful means.”
“What is the Security Council waiting for? What responsibility does it bear, and what is left of diplomacy?” he asked. He noted with concern that “we are witnessing a deep and dangerous regression, where war has become the negation of diplomacy and politics by all means. Diplomacy, once the foremost tool of conflict resolution, is now forced to retreat in the face of brute force.”
“What has become of negotiations, agreements, the essence of the United Nations, its Charter, its principles, and international law?” he continued. “These are being neglected, denied, trivialized, even discredited.”
He reaffirmed Algeria’s position, insisting that “the only way forward is a return to diplomacy within the framework of international legality, the principles of the UN Charter, and peaceful conflict resolution.”
“We must learn from the region’s painful history, which has shown that military solutions have never succeeded in resolving its complex challenges,” he concluded.
