Gargash defends Nusseibeh's UN bid after criticism from Iran's parliament speaker
Dr. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, challenged Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's criticism of Lana Nusseibeh's candidacy for UN secretary-general on Sunday, October 25. He said scrutiny of her nomination was legitimate but accused Ghalibaf of disregarding the UN's work to encourage dialogue and resolve conflicts.
Sara Khan
Dispute over the nomination
In his response on X, Gargash said Ghalibaf's comments lacked objectivity. He expressed hope that the posts had originated with Ghalibaf's social media account manager and did not represent the speaker's own position.
Gargash characterized Nusseibeh as a professional diplomat who seeks to bridge divisions and puts diplomacy first. Objections from hard-line voices to such a candidate were natural, he said.
Nusseibeh, the UAE's minister of state and envoy to the UN and European Union, announced her candidacy on Wednesday, October 21, following her formal nomination by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A platform centered on conflict mediation
Nusseibeh's vision statement advocates "quiet diplomacy" to stop conflicts from escalating. She calls for practical agreements that alleviate human suffering and prepare the ground for wider political settlements.
Her proposed approach gives a role to regional organizations and mediators whom the parties trust. Rather than insisting on leading every negotiation, she argues, the UN should be willing to support those best positioned to advance talks.
She presents engagement between countries as a means to achieve concrete results, not simply to sustain dialogue. Those results include reducing violence, getting humanitarian aid to people who need it and establishing conditions for lasting peace.
Diplomatic record and potential firsts
Nusseibeh represented the UAE at the UN as its permanent representative from 2013 to 2024, before taking her current ministerial post, according to Sharjah 24, citing WAM. Her responsibilities during those years included serving as a General Assembly vice president and heading the Executive Board of UN Women.
She also co-chaired processes addressing General Assembly revitalization and Security Council reform. During the UAE's 2022–2023 Security Council term, she held the council presidency twice.
Euronews reported that Nusseibeh secured adoption of Resolution 2720 during that term, enabling humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza. Nusseibeh, who speaks Hebrew, said she gathered support for the measure by organizing trips for council members to the Rafah border crossing.
A successful bid would make her the UN's first woman leader since the organization's establishment in 1945, according to Euronews. She would also be its first secretary-general of Palestinian descent and the second from the Arabic-speaking world, following Egypt's Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
An unsettled race and an upcoming dialogue
The selection remained unresolved in late October 2026. Euronews reported that an informal Security Council straw poll the previous week had put former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan narrowly ahead of Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina's Rafael Grossi. The race was subsequently reopened to new candidates after contenders received two or more opposing votes.
To win, a candidate needs at least nine votes on the 15-member Security Council, with none of its five permanent members opposing the choice. The council has until the end of December to select António Guterres's successor.
Nusseibeh's interactive dialogue with the General Assembly is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. The schedule was announced by the office of the General Assembly president in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 79/327.
