Iran rejects extension of UN human rights rapporteur mission

EghtesadOnline: Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi has rejected as politically-motivated recent move by the UN Human Rights Council to extend the mission of its special human rights rapporteur in Iran.

News ID: ۷۴۰۵۲۴

25 March 2017

Qasemi described the move an instrumental and political use of the human rights issue by certain Western countries against other countries of the world, IRNA reported.

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday approved a resolution to extend the mission of its special rapporteur in Iran Asma Jahangir.

Drafted by Swede, US, Macedonia and Moldavia, the resolution was approved by 22 votes in favor, 12 against and 13 abstain.

Iran opposed the resolution describing it as “politically-motivated and biased.”

Despite lack of support from most of its members and relying on the votes of a particular political bloc and a number of its agents in the region, the UN Human Rights Council has extended the mission of the special human rights rapporteur in Iran for the seventh consecutive year, Qasemi said.

Tehran condemns “pursuing such non-constructive, hostile and abortive approach through exerting pressure on other countries to win their support for approving an anti-Iran resolution,” said the spokesman.

He regretted that such “biased and unrealistic manner” would only lead to increasing discrediting the UN human rights system and those of certain countries who aim at damaging image of independent states such as Iran instead of improving the situation of the human rights.

Qasemi also criticized other regional states who supported the anti-Iran resolution in order to cover cases of human rights violation in their own countries as well as their war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Iranian spokesperson emphasized that the Islamic Republic strongly believes that such an approach would have no result other than sacrificing human rights and increasing the world public opinion's mistrust in international human rights mechanisms, the spokesman added.

The resolution, which has not been endorsed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and most countries in the Human Rights Council, lacks necessary credibility and professional support, Qasemi said.

He said that Tehran would not recognize the special rapporteur who has been missioned based on a politically-motivated and selective resolution of certain countries.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been voicing its willingness and determination for pursuing the approach of dialog as well as constructive and purposeful cooperation with the UN and other countries as the best way to promote human rights situation based on internationally eligible mechanisms, Qasemi stressed.

Qasemi said Iran also believes that the closest way to review the human rights situation in all countries on a fair basis is through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council which is based on the principles of universality, non-discrimination, equality, non-selective attitude and non-politically-motivated acts.

He said that Tehran objective is to boost such mechanisms.