In a veiled attack on the United States for its move to launch an attack on Iraq ignoring the United Nations, India on Wednesday said that unilateralism would not only harm the Security Council but the entire world.

Addressing reporters during Holi celebrations in New Delhi, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani said, "The Indian government has already made its position clear. Iraq should implement the UN resolutions but if there are any problems, the UN Security Council should deal with it."

Meanwhile, with Indians being evacuated from Iraq, the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata said four of its nuns would stay on in Baghdad to look after orphans there.

"As missionaries who have dedicated their lives to God in service to the poorest of the poor, our four sisters have freely chosen to remain with the crippled, orphaned children of ages two to 12 who are under their care in Baghdad," Missionaries of Charity superior-general Sister Nirmala said.

Of the four nuns, Sisters Dency, Rosalyn and Theresina are Indians hailing from Kerala, while another, Sr Joseph Carol is from Bangladesh.