Statement by
Mr. Mohammad Sadegh Talebizadeh Sardari
Attaché
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Before the Sixth Committee, UNGA 77
On Agenda item 81: “Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of armed conflicts”
New York, 17 October 2022
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Mr. Chairperson,
The Islamic Republic of Iran fully recognizes the vital role of international humanitarian law, in particular the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, in minimizing the negative effects of armed conflicts and protecting vulnerable victims of warfare.
My delegation reiterates its commitments under the relevant humanitarian instruments that it is a party thereto. We would also like to highlight our national efforts to accede to those instruments which we have not yet ratified.
My Government attaches great importance to the activities of the ICRC as the sole NGO mandated to uphold and facilitate the implementation of IHL and highlights the successful implementation of the ICRC’s joint projects to disseminate and enhance respect to IHL in Iran. IHL must be respected in all circumstances, for the sake of the survival of human values and for the sheer necessity of protecting life.
Mr. Chairperson,
The Islamic Republic of Iran joined the 1949 Geneva Conventions in the year of their inception. Iran is a signatory, but not a party, to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions. Efforts have been undertaken so as to exhaust the internal procedures to ratify those instruments within our domestic legislative authorities.
It is noteworthy that the Parliament of my Country ratified the act of Criminal Procedure and Penal Act for the Army in 1939 which was amended in 2003 under the title “the Act on Military Forces Crimes”. A directive on the disciplinary regulations of the armed forces was adopted to ensure the implementation of the Geneva Conventions’ provisions as well.
Furthermore, in order to effectively implement the Geneva Conventions of 1949, an Ad Hoc Working Group was established within the Iranian Judiciary for the codification of a draft law on the national criminalization of the most heinous international crimes, including war crimes. The aforesaid Working Group consists of a number of high-ranking judges, prosecutors, lawyers, prominent university professors as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice. The draft law is supposed to be ratified in the Iranian Parliament after its finalization and submission thereto by the Cabinet of the Ministers.
Finally, Mr. Chairperson, the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes on its heartfelt belief to disseminate and promote knowledge of the humanitarian norms and values, including among armed forces; and in this regard, it has endeavored to disseminate and implement IHL and its related instruments through the activities of the Iranian National Committee on Humanitarian Law (NCHL) with the support of the ICRC. To this end, the ICRC and the NCHL are in collaboration regarding the translation of several ICRC resources to Persian, including the updated Commentary to the first Geneva Conventions of 1949, the updated 2020 Guidelines on the Protection of the Natural Environment in Armed Conflict and the Comprehensive Introduction to the IHL. In addition, arrangements are being made to facilitate the participation of the commanders serving in the Iranian Armed Forces in the educational programs offered on IHL.
A more comprehensive report of my Government’s activities under this agenda item is accessible in the report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/77/264.
Thank you.