Offering Support for UN Peacekeeping Missions

Iran's UN Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo said Tehran can assist UK peacekeeping missions by sending military forces and logistical resources.

Speaking at the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations on Tuesday, Khoshroo also said, "While peacekeeping operations had to keep peace in a changing context, it was important to observe the principles of consent of the parties, the non-use of force except in self-defense and impartiality," IRNA reported.

He said the peacekeeping missions should uphold the principles of sovereign equality, political independence, territorial integrity and non-intervention in state matters.

"Any intervention by the United Nations or foreign forces under the pretext of civilian protection should be avoided, and while the use of modern technologies and intelligence should aim to increase the safety and security of United Nations personnel, the legal aspects of [which] should be defined in relevant intergovernmental processes," he said.

The envoy said regional arrangements "should not be a substitute for the United Nations role" and called for such arrangements to be defined in accordance to the United Nations Charter.

He said the host country's culture and national ownership should also be taken into account in restoring or establishing the rule of law.

The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations concluded in their general meeting that "to uphold its noble legacy, United Nations peacekeepers must adopt a more flexible posture, tailored to specific conflicts and endowed with the resources and capabilities needed to improve foresight in tackling new threats."

The call for more capable UN peacekeeping missions comes as suspected Ugandan rebels killed at least 15 Tanzanian UN peacekeepers and wounded 53 others in a raid on a base in Congo last December in what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the worst attack on the organization in recent history.