'Iran unrest doesn't threaten international peace, security'

The unrest in Iran does not constitute a threat to international peace and security, said Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the United Nations, on Friday.

"However worrying the events of the last few days in Iran may be, they do not constitute, per se, a threat to international peace and security. We must react appropriately to what is going on," Xinhua quoted Delattre as saying.

"In other words, we must ensure that we remain watchful and we give proper vigilance to what is happening ... we must be aware of any attempts to exploit the crisis for personal ends."

"Change in Iran will not come from without, it will come from the Iranian people themselves."

It's up to the Iranians and to the Iranians alone to pursue the path of peaceful dialogue, a dialogue based on full respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Iranian people, he added.

The French envoy stressed the need to uphold an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program. "We must commit fully to upholding the nuclear agreement with Iran ... and to promoting its implementation."

The July 2015 agreement between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US -- is one of the cornerstones of stability of the region of the Middle East as a whole, he said.

To lose this hard-won ground would be a major setback not just for the region, but also for the entire international community, and for the non-proliferation regime, he said.

"The consequences and fallout might be very heavy."

He called for "realistic and robust dialogue" with Iran concerning Tehran's ballistic missile activities.

He also asked countries to engage in frank and open discussions with Iran "so that with Tehran we can address the concerns pertaining to Iran's influence over the Middle East and its role in regional crises."

Despite sometimes deep divisions, dialogue with Iran is essential, said Delattre.

Swedish deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, Irina Schoulgin Nyoni, also stressed the importance of retaining the Iran nuclear deal and of engaging in dialogue with Iran.

The unrest in Iran must be separated from the nuclear deal, she told the Security Council.