Iran dismisses UN human rights resolution

TEHRAN, Dec. 20 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson has condemned political use of human rights against independent states. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham pointed to a human rights resolution against Iran in the UN General Assembly which was provoked by Canada and said “it is sorrowful that UN human rights mechanisms and means are abused by some western countries who clearly violate human rights inside and outside their borders.” She asserted that the resolution had used unreliable, inauthentic sources and was biased. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has already provided substantial valid responses to claims in the resolution and if those who have provoked it sought impartiality and didn’t follow double standards, there absolutely would have been no need for such a resolution.” Afkham emphasized that while the region was facing threats of the Israeli regime, organized terrorism and extremism, such a resolution has been insistence on a failed wrong policy. She highlighted the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) as a global mechanism for evaluation of human rights for all countries and stated that “Iran actively participated in its recent UPR review session in UNHRC and provided its second review which was discussed by many participants and Iran is going to consider proposals and advises made in the session.” “The Islamic Republic of Iran is a religious democracy which along with its religious concerns and its commitment to the Constitution, law and international treaties, seeks to improve human rights in national, regional and international scales,” concluded Afkham.