KUWAIT: Kuwait's International Islamic Charity Organization (IICO) on Tuesday said that its chairman Dr Abdullah Al-Matouq has retained his position as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' special advisor for the seventh consecutive year. Thankful for the UN chief's trust in him, the Kuwaiti official said it was a recognition of Kuwait's efforts towards regional and global humanitarian endeavors. Al-Matouq, who has served as the UN chief's advisor since 2017, vowed to continue to "work diligently" to serve humanity at a time where the world is rife with conflict and unrest, he underlined.

Nuclear accord

Meanwhile, a senior UN official has affirmed that there has been no progress in implementation of the Iranian nuclear accord or the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 designed to ensure peaceful employment of Tehran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for lifting sanctions. Iran is planning to install new uranium enriching centrifuges at a nuclear plant and intends to produce more enriched uranium, forecast to hit as high as 60 percent, at another reactor, said Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Secretary General Assistant for Political Affairs, addressing a UNSC session on the Iranian nuclear file.

Iran at present has a total reserve of enriched uranium more than 18 times than the allowed cap as set in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal that had been worked out after issuance of the UNSC Resolution 2231, DiCarlo added. She called on Tehran to back down from steps it has taken since July 2019 that contradict its obligations related to the nuclear file, as stipulated in the JCPOA.

Moreover, DiCarlo indicated that there were divergent views regarding Iran's ballistic missiles' tests, particularly those conducted in June and November, as well as a test of a new ballistic missile unveiled in September. Elaborating, she said the UN had received "messages" from Ukraine, France, Germany, the UK and the US regarding purported transport of pilotless aircraft from Iran to Russia, contrary to the UN Resolution 2231. The UNSC Resolution 2231 was a 20 July 2015 resolution endorsing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the nuclear program of Iran. It sets out an inspection process and schedule while also preparing for the removal of United Nations sanctions against Iran. - KUNA