Which of the following nations were recently suspended with regard to the voting rights by the UNESCO for not paying their dues to it? 1. United States of America 2. Israel 3. Iran 4. Iraq Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1, 2, 3 and 4
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
3 and 4 only

The correct answer is: B. 1 and 2 only

The United States and Israel were suspended from UNESCO’s General Conference on November 12, 2019, for failing to pay their dues. The United States has been withholding its dues since 2011, when UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member state. Israel has been withholding its dues since 2012, in protest of UNESCO’s resolution equating Zionism with racism.

The other two options, Iran and Iraq, are not currently suspended from UNESCO. Iran was suspended from UNESCO in 2012 for failing to pay its dues, but it was reinstated in 2015. Iraq was suspended from UNESCO in 1990 for its invasion of Kuwait, but it was reinstated in 2003.

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It was founded in 1945 to promote international cooperation in education, science, culture, and communication. UNESCO has 195 member states.