Tehran: Iran has regained its right to vote at the United Nations General Assembly after South Korea paid its membership dues with frozen Iranian funds, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations announced.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi said late Saturday that as soon as Iran's arrears are paid in New York, the country's voting rights should be restored automatically, according to the official IRNA reports.

South Korea confirmed on Sunday that it had paid Tehran's UN membership dues, totaling USD 18 million, using Iranian funds frozen in the country..

Takht-Ravanchi earlier said that negotiations between Tehran and the world body were underway to restore the country's right to vote in the General Assembly and enable it to pay membership dues, expressing hope that the talks would soon yield favourable results. He noted that Iran, as an active UN member, has always demonstrated a commitment to timely payment of membership dues.

The Ambassador emphasised that Iran has been unable to pay its membership dues for the second consecutive year as a result of US sanctions, which have harmed Iran's ability to purchase humanitarian aid and medical devices but also hampered the UN's work.

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