TEHRAN, May 27 (MNA) – The first round of human rights dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and New Zealand was held virtually on Wednesday.

According to a report by the Iranian Foreign Ministry website, the meeting was co-chaired by the Director-General for Human Rights and Women Affairs of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the New Zealand side.

The purpose of these talks was to get acquainted with the human rights situation in both countries, and to create a better understanding of the existing realities and to exchange expertiese between the Islamic Republic of Iran and New Zealand in the field of human rights.

In this meeting, the Iranian side explained the approach of the Islamic Republic to the issue of human rights and human dignity based on Islamic principles and the Constitution and withholding and promoting human rights standards in various fields.

The New Zealand side also described its efforts to promote human rights, especially in the field of women and indigenous people's rights.

The status of women and the rights of people with disabilities were other issues discussed during the webinar, in addition to other issues of their mutual interest, including the impact of climate change on human rights, countering xenophobia and Islamophobia, the right to development, and the negative impact of unilateral coercive actions on human rights, the fight against human trafficking, the fight against modern types of slavery, fighting sexual abuse against children, the eradication of absolute poverty and providing appropriate living standards to all as areas for cooperation at various levels, especially in the United Nations.

In the end, both sides expressed their desire to continue the talks in the future.

KI/MFA Farsi