Ukraine’s Zelenskiy criticizes Islamic Emirate at UN General Assembly

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday criticized the situation in Afghanistan under Islamic Emirate rule, saying that the country has been dragged into the “dark ages.”

“We must not forget about protecting the rights of people – and the rights of nations – in regions where these rights are under threat,” Zelenskiy said. “The UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must apply everywhere. But the Taliban (IEA) in Afghanistan dragged a whole country back into the dark ages.”

In the same session, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned human rights violations in several parts of the world, including Gaza, while stressing that Iran has never pursued and will never seek nuclear weapons.

Another standout moment of this year’s assembly was the participation of Syria’s president for the first time in nearly six decades. In his address, Ahmad al-Sharaa called for an end to all sanctions against his country and pledged to safeguard the rights of all citizens without discrimination.

“We filled the power vacuum, called for an inclusive national dialogue, and announced a government of competence,” he said.  “We strengthened the principle of participation and established a National Commission for Transitional Justice and another for the missing, ensuring justice and fairness for those wronged, we are now proceeding toward electing representatives of the people in the legislative council.”

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly takes place as Afghanistan continues to lack representation at high-level meetings for the fourth consecutive year, despite the Islamic Emirate’s bid to secure the country’s UN seat.