New york: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held separate meetings with his Swedish and Finnish counterparts in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Araghchi, who is leading a delegation to the 80th annual session of the United Nations, met with Maria Malmer Stenergard, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, at UN headquarters on Tuesday.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, during their meeting, the top Iranian diplomat emphasized the shared responsibility of all governments to stop the genocide in Gaza and to hold the Israeli regime accountable for its ongoing violations of international peace and security. The two sides also reviewed the state of bilateral relations and discussed various international issues, particularly those related to international peace and security. Additionally, they addressed the importance of all countries adhering to the rule of law and the United Nations Charter, as well as the international community’s shared concerns regarding the rise of unilateralist trends and militarism.

In another meeting on Tuesday, Araghchi engaged in discussions with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen. They exchanged views on issues of bilateral relations as well as international developments, particularly matters related to international peace and security.

Araghchi referred to the two years since the genocide in Gaza and highlighted the ongoing serious violations of the UN Charter and human rights due to the aggressions and crimes committed by the Israeli regime against regional countries, emphasizing the legal and moral responsibility of all nations to intervene and put an end to the genocide, as well as to counter the persistent threats posed by this regime to international peace and stability. Additionally, the top Iranian diplomat elaborated on Iran’s responsible stance regarding the nuclear issue and warned against any misuse of the UN Security Council by the three European countries as a means to exert pressure on Iran.

The 80th session of the UNGA opened on September 9. The general debate, which gets underway on September 23, will see world leaders taking to the podium to elaborate on their priorities to a global audience. This year’s General Assembly takes place under the theme ‘Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,’ according to the website of the United Nations.