Iran denounces West's double standards on human rights

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs strongly censured West’s double standards and unfair human rights mechanisms in the world.

News ID: 5856

Date: 25 January 2025 - 09:17

TABNAK, Jan 25: Kazem Gharibabadi, who heads the Iranian delegation to the 48th session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland, made the remarks at a meeting which was held at Iran’s initiative.

He expressed Iran's grave concern and strong criticism of double standards, selective approaches and political and instrumental exploitation of human rights.

Gharibabadi said the self-proclaimed flag bearers of human rights have created numerous challenges for Iran including sanctions and their support for terrorists, and have flagrantly infringed upon the rights of the Iranian nation.

“They have shamelessly accused us of violating human rights, and slapped political mechanisms against us with the aim of exerting more pressure,” the Iranian diplomat emphasized.

He added that the imposition of “political and unjust human rights mechanisms” on developing countries is tantamount to intervention in the internal affairs of these countries and a violation of their sovereignty.

The political measures of the so-called advocates of human rights come as they themselves are widely violating the rights of their own people and those of other nations, the Iranian deputy foreign minister pointed out.

Gharibabadi said Iran’s official policy is based on reducing the adverse consequences of unilateral, arbitrary and coercive measures.

He said in order to minimize the effects of the US extensive unilateral sanctions against the Iranian people, the country has paid special attention to the extremely destructive effects of unilateral coercive measures in all processes related to the codification of regulations, policy-making and executive actions.

'Crime against humanity and war crime'

Iran has implemented plans to support various segments of the society, including vulnerable individuals, in the form of various projects to lessen the effects of sanctions on people's lives, the senior Iranian diplomat explained.

“However, these actions do not negate the responsibility of those who enacted and implemented the sanctions and they must be held accountable for this crime against humanity and war crime,” Gharibabadi emphasized.

He noted that economic sanctions are tantamount to a weapon or even stronger than it “because they affect the lives of majority of people.”

Meanwhile, the ambassadors of other countries attending the Geneva meeting voiced concern over the violation of human rights, saying the existing supervisory mechanisms are ineffective, selective, and politicized.