Iran and others lose UN voting rights

Shafaq News/ Iran has lost its right to vote at the United Nations due to unpaid dues, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said.

In total, 11 countries are behind in their payments, of which eight have lost their right to vote in the UN assembly, including Venezuela and Sudan.

The five other countries that have lost their right to vote are Antigua and Barbuda, Congo, Guinea, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.

The minimum payment for Venezuela to restore its voting rights is around $40 million (€35 million), Iran must pay just over $18 million (€15.8 million), and Sudan must pay nearly $300,000 (€262,000).

It is worth noting that in January 2021, Iran lost its vote over unpaid dues. However, after months of negotiations, the country was granted an exemption and got back its vote in June.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said the country is committed to "full and timely payment of membership dues," but that it has not been able to do pay "due to the oppressive and illegal US sanctions."

The UN's operating budget approved in December is around $3 billion (€2.6 billion). Its separate peacekeeping budget approved in June is about $6.5 billion (€5.7 billion).