The United Nations Security Council voted on Thursday to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) until April 30, 2026.
The resolution was passed with 12 votes in favor, none against, and three abstentions from China, Russia, and Pakistan.
Following the vote, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Sun Lei, explained the country's position.
Emphasizing China's continued support for South Sudan's peace process, Sun pointed out that the current draft resolution went beyond the scope of the mandate, forcing China to abstain.
"Regrettably, the resolution just adopted contains a lot of elements that exert excessive pressure on South Sudan. These are not related to the extension of the mission, nor are they in line with South Sudan's realities," Sun said.
Sun criticized the penholder country for delaying consultations and forcibly pushing to vote while disagreements remained unresolved. He urged the penholder to to take an objective and a fair approach, to effectively show their due responsibilities and to make genuine efforts to maintain the unity of the Council and to forge the broadest possible consensus.
Sun also noted that as the UN's youngest member state, South Sudan has made unremitting efforts in recent years to advance peace and improve national governance. He asked the international community to fully take into account South Sudan's development stage and the challenges it faces.
Sun stressed that issues such as elections, finance, and resource management are all South Sudan's internal affairs and should be determined by its government and people.
He urged full respect for South Sudan's sovereignty and its autonomy, cautioning against the imposition of external solutions or interference in South Sudan's internal affairs.
UN Security Council extends South Sudan peacekeeping mission
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
