Iranian Peacekeepers Ready to Serve UN Missions, Anytime, Anywhere-Army Colonel

Some 70 university students and professors, as well as military and police personnel learned more about UN peacekeepers at a seminar dedicated to the International Day of UN Peacekeepers entitled “Reviewing UN Peacekeepers Operations” at Qom University on 26 May 2015, AVA Diplomatic reports.

UNIC National Information Officer Mr. Mohammad Moghadam delivered the United Nations Secretary-General’s message on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to the audience.

“A battalion of professional Iranian peacekeepers are ready to be dispatched to any place in the world the UN wants,” said Colonel Reza Vazehi, key-speaker of the event.

Addressing a seminar, he said a very well-trained battalion consisted of 300 officers and soldiers familiar with English are ready to serve as UN peacekeepers and carry out peacekeeping duties including humanitarian activities in any part of the world that the UN wishes so.

Colonel Vazehi said the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran established its first UN peacekeeper’s battalion in 1993 with the aim of helping the UN in its peacekeeping efforts.

He stated that so far a number of Iranian peacekeepers have been sent as peace observers to Missions in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan and their performance has been remarkable.

Other speakers: Dr. Mohsen Qadir, Dr. Mostafa Fazaeli, Dr. Ahmad Reza Tohidi all from Qom University as well as Mr. Majid Kianejad from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about the evolution of the concept of peace, the international responsibilities of UN Peacekeepers, major activities of UN peacekeepers and the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s role on UN peacekeeping efforts.

In addition, Colonel Reza Babaee from the Iranian Army and Colonel Mehdi Salehi from the Islamic Revolutions Guard Corps (IRGC) who had gone on UN peace observing Missions briefed the audience on their experiences.