He made the remarks while addressing the Thursday meeting of the United Nations Security Council on ‘Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’ in New York.
“It is a source of grave concern that civilians still account for the vast majority of causalities in armed conflicts. The worst aspect of this issue is that most of the victims are of the most vulnerable civilians: women and children,” noted the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations.
Noting that the year 2019 marks the 17th anniversary of adopting four Geneva Conventions, he said, “a question arises as to why we still face – as confirmed by the Council – ‘the erosion of respect for International Humanitarian Law’?”
He then referred to civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Syria, Gaza, and Yemen, noting that the UNSC has practically done nothing in many of these cases.
“Respect for IHL continues to erode because criminals are not held accountable: because they continue to commit these crimes with impunity; and because they are emboldened to disregard IHL and to commit more brutalities.”
“The Council can show its seriousness in protecting civilians – which is a legal obligation and a moral imperative as well –, by putting an end to a policy based on political considerations,” he concluded.
MNA/PR
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