Gholamhossein Darzi made the announcement in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council on Wednesday.
He said the new package of US sanctions on the Iranian aviation sector constitute a blatant violation of the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law, including international human rights law and obligations related to the protection of civilians.
He added that the sanctions “disrupt access to aircraft spare parts, equipment, maintenance, repair, inspection and technical services” necessary for the safe operation of civilian aircraft.
The Iranian diplomat warned that the restrictions expose passengers and aviation personnel to avoidable risks while limiting the movement of millions of civilians.
He emphasized that the recent US measures are particularly alarming because they “directly” affect civil aviation safety and the lives of civilians.
Darzi noted that the sanctions are incompatible with the fundamental objectives of the Chicago Convention, including the role of international civil aviation in promoting friendship and understanding among nations across the world.
He said such measures will also undermine the framework for cooperation governing international civil aviation and negatively affect efforts to ensure safe, sustainable and accessible air transportation.
The Iranian ambassador further added that the US measures demonstrate clear disregard for a 2018 order issued by the International Court of Justice, which obliged Washington to remove obstacles to the free export of goods and services necessary for the safety of civil aviation in Iran.
He reiterated that Iran would pursue accountability, compensation and the protection of its rights through all available legal channels and capacities and would hold those behind such unlawful measures accountable for any consequences.
Darzi called on the UN chief and the Security Council president to urge the United States to immediately end all unilateral coercive and illegal measures and ongoing acts of aggression against Iran which target innocent civilians, and to fully comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law without any exception.
According to the envoy, the two world bodies should also address the severe humanitarian, human rights and civilian-protection consequences arising from the continued imposition of unilateral coercive measures and other actions against Iran, including the direct and foreseeable effects of such measures on civil aviation safety and the well-being of civilians.
He further called on the UN and the Security Council to strongly condemn and unequivocally reject the systematic use of unilateral coercive measures as an instrument of political pressure and coercion, particularly in cases where such measures inflict widespread and foreseeable damage on civilian populations.
They should take appropriate action, in accordance with the UN Charter, to preserve international peace and security and protect civilians, he emphasized.
Darzi also called on all UN member states to refrain from recognizing or implementing US unilateral coercive measures that violate international law and the UN Charter, particularly those that cause, or could reasonably be expected to cause, widespread humanitarian harm to civilian populations.
On Tuesday, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines, including Iran Aseman, Iran Airtour, Kish Air, Qeshm Air, Zagros, ATA, Varesh, Sepehran, Chabahar and other airlines operating in Iran.
According to the Treasury Department, the measures also target 35 companies and one individual, with foreign intermediaries linked to Iranian airlines in Turkey, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates among those affected.
The breadth of the sanctions means their impact could extend beyond airlines to companies involved in financing, servicing and the international operation of Iran’s air transport sector.