forserious measures tobetakentomaintain security andstability intheArab Gulfandtoguarantee freenlivigation forallStates, regardless ofwhether they areorarenotpartoftheGulfarea.Thatproposal waswelcomed bytheStatesof theGulf Co~operation Council andbyallthoseeagertoseesecurity andstability prevail inourregion andintheworldatlarge. Thespiritofthatproposal wasalsoreflected inthelegalandpolltical principle~ embodied inSecurity Council resolution 540(1983)of31OCtober 1983~a resolution thatequitably safeguards theinterests ofallStatesintheArabGulf areaaswellasthoseoftheinternational community andofinternational navigation andtrade. Although thatresolution calledforonlyapartial cessation ofhostilities bf~tweeiithetwocountries,whichmayinfacthavecontributedtoprolongingthe war,Itaqwelcomed it,asdidtheGolf C~~peration Council andallinternational 'circles. TheIranian re9ime, however, rejected thatre~olution ant,]spurnedallIIIRM/17 A/fO/W.13 74-15 (Mr.Aziz,Iraq) international efforts thatsoughttojustify therejection asagesture cIfcourtesy toIran1.1'1anattempt tolureitintoaccepting somekindofundeclared realistic coJllllitmenttotheresolution. TheIranians rejected allthtsbecause theywerepreparing anewmajor. offensive against Basrah, onethatwaseventually ~arried outinFebruary 1984. However, havingseentheiroffensive foUed, theirforcesdestroyed Clndtheirports blockaded inresponse totheblockade theythemselves hadimpos~d onourports sincetheoutbreak ofthewar,theIranians begantofeelthebiteofthesituation.RH/18 A/40/PV.13 76 (Mr.Aziz,Iraq) Theirregimebegantocrywolfaboutthreats posedbytheblockade to int.ernational navigation intheGulf.Tehrancriedoutfor.\nternational lawtobe ubserved. Butinsteadofapproaching thesituation withprudence byaccepting resolution 540(1983), whichisbothwiseandbalanced, therulersofIranresorted toattacking vessels belonging totheArabGulfStatesthatwereinnowayinvolved inthearmedconflict. Iran'sobjective intheseattacks wastoforcetheGulf Statestoputpreflsure onIraqa.ndmakeitenditsblockade ofIranian pot't..s. This wasembodied inSecurity Council resolution 552(1984), whichwasalsorejected by Iran,together withallotherefforts aimedateasing theconflict and r.~aching a balanced solution inwhicl1nationsl, region,ll andinternational navigational interests weretobesafeguarded. In~tead, Iranpersisted inexercising itspolicy ofpiracyandterroragainst thecountries ofthe~egion. Thereasonbehindthisbehaviour oftheTehranrulerswasthesameasthat whichmadethemrejectresolution 540(1983)inapreVious year.Itw~sthatthey werepreparing fortheirmajoroffensive ofMarch1985,aimedatoccupyin~ Basrah andinstalling apuppetgovernment there. Again,astheysawtheirinvasion destroyed byourdefence forces, theybegantotalkofinternational lawand freedom ofnavigation. Whatisworthpointing outhereisthattheIranian ::sgimeunderstands the rulesofinternational lawandfreenaVigation onlyinsofarastheyserveits military objectives. Thatregimehasneverstoppeditsraidsagainst t'leutral vessels orrefrained fromitsotheractsofpiracy. Iranhaslaunched 19such raidssinceSeptember 1984,inaddition to45otheractsofpiracycarried out sincethebeginning ofthatyear. Theyweredirected notonlyagainst Arab targets~ thelistincludes vessels fromIndia,Spain,Greece, SouthKorea,Liberia, Panama, WestGermany, Britain, Belgium andChina,aswellasKuwait andsaudi Arabia.RH/18 A/40/W.13 77 (Kr.Aziz,Iraq) IILetU3consider thetragedyoftheprisoners ofwar.TheTehranauthorities havealwaystreated Iraqiplisoners ofwaronthebasisofthepolitical premise of Iranian expansionist territorial ambitions inIraq.Notonlyhavethey premeditatedly killed thoseprisoners ofwarwhohadrefused tosuccumb totheir will;theyhavealsoplanted amongtherestofthemIranian elements whohave previously resided inIraq.Theaimofthismeasureistospreadpsychological terrorandtoimposepolitical andphysical oppression withaviewtoundermining theallegiance oftheprisoners ofwartotheircountry. Thesepractices weresuch thattheheadoftheInternationalRedCrossteamthatvisitedtheareaona fact-finding mission confirmed, inareportdated23November 1984,thatIranian treatment ofIraqiprisoners ofwarleftthemwithbuttwochoices: treason or death. Theteamitselfwastreated extremely badlybytheIranian authorities -to suchanextentthatitwasforcedtoabandonitsworkinIran. WhenthereportoftheSecretary-Generalis mission waspublished, weattended thesec:urity Council meetinc) of4March1985todiscuss theSUbject. Asusual, Iran"asconspicuous fori1.:sabsence. Thereason was,yetagain,itspreparation for {~eMarch ~985offensive, which,havingbeenfoiled,lefttheTehran regime withnothing todobutto,feignconcern abouttheconditions oftheprisoners of
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a diplomatic document or a statement made by the Iraqi government, discussing the situation in the Arab Gulf and the actions of Iran. It highlights the security concerns, territorial disputes, and humanitarian issues related to the conflict. The text also touches on international law and the role of the United Nations.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief