In a simulated meeting of the United Nations Security Council students called upon Iran and the United States to respect the Council’s resolution on the Iran Nuclear Deal (2231 (2015)) and reverse measures they have taken in contravention of that resolution.
The United Nations Security Council Simulation convened on November 4, 2019 at the Faculty of Law for a third time, and focused its attention on resolving the mounting dispute between the United States and Iran over the Iran Nuclear Deal. The dispute between the two states intensified following the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on May 8, 2018, and the subsequent re-imposition of sweeping unilateral sanctions by the United States against Iran. A year after the withdrawal, Iran reacted by taking a series of measures to roll back its commitments under the JCPOA—a situation that may lead to the collapse of the Iran Nuclear Deal.
In a resolution unanimously passed in the mock Security Council, participating students reiterated the Council’s endorsement of the JCPOA and called upon both the United States and Iran to reverse the measures they have taken in contravention of the JCPOA. Their resolution also calls upon the parties to the dispute to enter into negotiations in partnership with Security Council to address, in a separate agreement, other aspects of Iranian behavior in the Middle East.
Following the adoption of the resolution, each participating student made a statement, outlining the positions of states they represented in the simulation.
Dr. Saeid Mirzaei Yengejeh trained nine students enrolled in his class on the law of international organizations for two months. Several days in advance of the meeting, students prepared draft resolutions on the subject, which were presented during the simulation. They also negotiated intensively and merged their draft resolutions into a single draft, which was unanimously adopted in the mock Security Council meeting. This draft resolution sends a clear political message that in decision-making by the Security Council the international community’s legitimate concerns on world peace and security prevail over national interests.
This simulation was the third one organized by Dr. Mirzaei in his course on the Law of International Organizations. A simulation of the Security Council convened for the first time in January 2018. It was devoted to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in North Korea. A second simulation was organized in fall 2018, and it focused on the war in Yemen.
This practice-oriented seminar allows students to learn how the UN system works and gives them a chance to practice acting as delegates before mock UN organs. It is an invaluable experience for students interested in international law. This practice-oriented approach will be followed in the “Seminar on Documenting UN Practice", CML 4108 and DCL 6121, which will be taught for the 10th consecutive year in the January-Winter 2020 session. Registration for the seminar is now open for graduate and upper year students. Interested students must submit their applications, together with their CVs to Professor Saeid Mirzaei Yengejeh ([email protected]).
Dr. Mirzaei has over 30 years of experience with the United Nations, both as an international civil servant and a governmental representative. To learn more about his background and work, please visit his profile.