Spokesman Slams UN Chief's Human Rights Report on Iran as "Biased"

TEHRAN (defapress)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi dismissed a new report by the United Nations on the human rights situation in Iran as “untrue, politically-motivated and biased".

News ID: 68952

Date: 02 March 2018 - 21:02

"As we have already witnessed time and again in the past, these reports are flawed both in nature and approach, and thus hold no value in the eye of the Islamic Republic," Qassemi said on Friday.

He underlined that the document hold no value as it ignores many steps Iran has taken to meet its rights obligations and development goals.

Qassemi's remarks came in reaction to a new report by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that is scheduled to be presented at the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which began on February 26 and will last until March 23.

Guterres, who assumed office January last year, has in his previous reports accused Iran of a range of human rights violations from mistreating journalists to arbitrary detentions and unfair trials.

Qassemi said the UN chief’s latest report has “many flaws and shortcomings” as it is based on a “political and unfair resolution", and is drawn up according to “inauthentic and totally incredible sources and data.”

“Moreover, a total ignorance of Iran’s progress and achievements in implementing human rights has contributed to the production of an unbalanced and particularly biased report,” he said about Guterres’ report.

The foreign ministry spokesman underlined that it is Iran’s resolve to further enhance the rights of its citizens on the basis of progressive Islamic principles as well as the country’s Constitution.

In a relevant development in early January, Iran's Human Rights Council in a statement deplored the US, Britain, Israel and certain UN officials who claim to be advocates of human rights for supporting the recent riots and unrests in the country.

"The recent events (in Iran) were another test for those who claim to support human rights. The name of the US, Britain, the Zionist regime of Israel, the Saudi regime, the ISIL, Monafeqin (hypocrites as members of Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization - MKO, also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCRI - are called in Iran) and unfortunately the international human rights mechanisms are seen in the list of supporters of the riots and sabotage acts," the statement said.

"The US administration, led by Trump, has increased its interference in Iran's internal affairs in a shameless way. The US support for the riots, violence and war-mongering is a cover for the failure of the country and its regional allies' policies to take revenge from the brave and honorable Iranian people," it added.

The statement also voiced regret for the positions taken by the UN Human Rights High Commissioner and certain human rights rapporteurs in support of the rioters and violators of the Iranian people's rights.

"The Human Rights Council (of Iran) condemns such measures and positions which promote violence and sabotage acts and stresses the necessity for differentiation between peaceful demands and violent acts," it underlined.

Iranian people took to the streets across the country, including the capital Tehran, for the third consecutive day on January 6 (Friday) to show their solidarity with the Islamic Republic and condemn the recent scattered riots in some areas of the country.

In Tehran, thousands of Tehrani worshippers rallied after Friday prayers and condemned the meddling by the US, Israel and Britain in Iran's internal affairs to incite violence and riots in the country.

Iranians in Tabriz, Sari and Kerman also rallied and shouted slogans against the foreign-backed violence, while holding up placards and national flags.

The Tehrani worshippers and Iranians in other cities chanted slogans such as "Down with the US", "Down with Israel" and "Down with Trump.